Only As Expected
by Prudence Chastity
Summary: AU: Set back in history when the Umbra clan indisputably ruled Gran Pulse. When Ragnarok is born, Fang is ripped away to service the clan. In Lightning's world w Jihl, they are expected to service the men. The crash of worlds changes Lightning & Jihl's expectations two different ways. Bayonetta-FFXIII fusion FLight, JihlxLightning, FangxJihl, CerezaxJeanne: Warning Rape & Futa!Fang
1. Chapter 1

"Lightning," he growled, gripping her ass tightly in a beefy hand. He pinched hard with nails, ramming Lightning to him again with the other hand at her hip, controlling the thrusts as he shoved back in. Lightning winced with the harshness of his thrusts against her vaginal sores. On her forearms and knees with him servicing her from behind, Lightning bucked, drawing in a great breath to soothe the burning at her core, coming from more pain than pleasure in this instance, but he was big. Bigger than most guys, anyway, and Lightning judged the extra inch and girth couldn't hurt her chances that he might be the one to finally get her pregnant.

What was his name? Shit. Lightning stiffened and closed her eyes as she burned more with every thrust, the pain excruciating. She fisted her hands and bit down on her teeth. He couldn't last much longer now, could he? A hand gripped her shoulder hard with only a momentary reprieve as the man at her backside ordered. "Come for me."

Shit. He was one of them. Lightning squeezed her fists. It was the last thing she felt like doing at this time and so hard to manage when she was in this much pain. Fingers dug into her shoulder roughly, hard into her skin. "You hear me?" His rough voice demanded, snarling the words at her.

"Yes," Lightning panted, sweating for all the pain. "Keep going. I'll come." She almost cried out when he shoved back into her again quickly, quicker than she'd been able to clamp her jaw again. A pained moan emitted instead. Lightning clamped her mouth shut as quick as she could, stifling the whimpers that threatened. She wouldn't be able to come like this, and he'd be mad and insulted. It wasn't his fault; Lightning's sores were just acting up too much. Maybe another had opened and bled with the chafing. She struggled to control her mind and focus out of her body again, a technique she'd mastered long ago for when men demanded she'd come for them.

Focusing her mind away from her current partner, which was much easier said than done when she had a man chafing into her burning vag, Lightning took her mind away to a place away from the burning and pain. She slowly drifted into that oblivion. When she'd carried herself as much as she reckoned she would get in this instance, Lightning pictured Odile instead at her ass, slipping in a thick, warm implement in and out of her as she grabbed Lightning's breasts and purred. "That's right, lovely."

Lightning cringed as she grew wet, the heat both blanketing and burning her sores as Odile pushed it in again and again. "It hurts," Lightning whimpered, eyes shut so tight, head down on the bed as she painfully squeezed over Odile's toy she'd crafted for this practice.

"Shhh," Odile hushed, squeezing her breast. She flicked the tip, making Lightning cry out as a rush of heat doused the object. "A little more, luv." She squeezed again, then thrust in hard and deep. Lightning squeaked loud as she panted, coming out of it with a hard gasp as her innards clenched too tight around his dick and she came, came hard enough to go limp, which resulted in a shout of protest as the man suspended her with an arm around the belly and gushed, seeping into her with a warm, hot flood of relief. Lightning could practically taste his seed as he emptied into her, thankfully giving up his release. His cum soaked inside her, absorbed right up with barely any leakage but for the position alone. Lightning was too deep for that. She collapsed to the bed, heaving when he finally let go. Finally. She panted. This stint was over at last.

Lightning got a precious few, blissful moments of rest. With her suitor half sprawled on top, sweating into her skin, Lightning half dozed in her daze, happy that was all done. She wished that hot seed inside of her good luck. The weight shifted on her back and Lightning let herself be turned as the man regained his breath again. A _SMACK _resounded with his sudden backhand. Lightning saw stars and didn't look his way again until he clamped her jaw between fingers and turned her face towards him. Lightning tasted blood. He looked angry as hell. "Who's Odile?" he demanded, snarling at her then. "You thinking about another man as I do you, bitch?"

Lightning took another hit. His mouth mashed over hers and suffocated her from saying anything. He tongued hungrily, stinging her split lip, then bit down greedily. Lightning choked on the whimper that came, snuffed out by his tongue that explored the depths of her throat. Lightning relaxed with the assault of mouths, much less pained by this. She cupped his cheek and _mmm_ed. Predictably, this satisfied him.

"Better," he growled when he lifted away. "You have a good mouth. Good at sucking, yes?"

Lightning nodded slightly. "I've been told so, yes."

"Good. Give me ten, and you'll suck me real good. Then you can go to the physician's and treat your sores right."

"Thank you." Lightning said, for his allowance to proceed to her original destination before she'd bumped into him hard and wanting sex. "Will you come by again?" Lightning asked, hopeful with this one. Only decently brutish, this guy was heavy and thick. If she couldn't get pregnant this time, he would be good for future attempts. No one fit Lightning the right ways that she'd like, that was part of the curse of her Umbra-half, being too deep for the likes of men; deep and stingy with maturing eggs, but if anyone had a chance of it, Lightning reckoned it would be someone bigger like him.

"Depends how you do on my blow job," the man stood from the bed. "I'm gonna wash my dick. Keep you from festering on me. Clean up your face and get ready for me by the time I get back."

Lightning did as he asked and learned his name was Rick. She prayed for the pregnancy none of the others had blessed her with as of yet.

**XXX**

Fang stood from the bed where the curled up Yun lay, holding herself in. She covered herself with blankets at the entry of another one coming in, displaying uncharacteristically reserved shyness for a Yun. Fang didn't blame her; she'd have been fragile too, if she'd been a courting Yun, forced to sleep with someone else to get pregnant and have their kid instead. Fang had been as gentle as possible with that one, but there was only so much she could do in situations like this one.

The next girl walked boldly in. Good. It was always easier to do this when the Yun chose to resent her instead. The ones that started crying were the worst for Fang. Fang helped the pathetic mess of a Yun she'd made get to her feet again. She picked up her clothes off the floor and handed them to her. The girl didn't remove her sheet as she took them, not looking at Fang.

"Ragnarok," the other woman said, summoning Fang's eyes and the turn of her head. She was an especially beautiful one, this girl. With chestnut hair and mahogany flecks, her eyes burned into Fang, so beautiful and dotted with light, amber flecks. The way she stood and how she looked radiated the great confidence of a Yun and a full woman, beautiful and eye-drawing in everything. This woman was used to dropping jaws as she passed, and it was probably that same beauty that'd brought her here, stuck with Fang.

When Fang's eyes turned on her at the call of her title, those stunning eyes searched her and grew sadder yet. "So, it's true…" the woman spoke softly, almost reverently in quiet sadness. She hadn't been the first one to be stunned by the revelation and she wouldn't be the last.

"One minute," Fang requested, trying to help the skittish Yun, who shied away when she reached for her. "It's okay," Fang tried to ease. "I'm just gonna hold up the sheet." The girl flinched again when Fang touched her and curled away to dress. Fang lowered her head to give her a few moments of privacy before her shuffling ended. She lowered the sheet, tentatively at first, then fully when she saw the girl had dressed. She didn't make to touch her like she had with some of the others.

"Umbra are waiting outside," Fang informed gently, repeating words she'd used to sooth other Yuns she'd had before. "If our time was successful, your family will go under watched protection and will care for any needs you might have. You'll go into a separate settlement for a short time so we can be sure of your safety." Fang hoped she didn't have to see this one again. It was a shame to witness members of her proud clan like this, made frail from her duty to reproduce for Gran Pulse's sake. If she didn't see her, she'd gotten pregnant and it'd all be okay. If she did see her, Fang would have to try again. It was best just to get it first shot with these things. The girl was Yun; hopefully fertility would take fast.

"R… Ragnarok," the girl inclined her shaky head and rushed past Fang and the new Yun out the door, stifling her cries of embarrassment and shame. Fang sighed and turned around again, facing the second Yun she'd have today, which was unusual in itself. Her lovers varied through the tribes, the most being Umbra, of course, followed by a steep drop of Yun lovers that she could breed and a few other high-ups from each of their surviving tribes. It'd been a long time since she'd had two consecutive Yuns.

"What's your name?" Fang asked, naked already, but used to a little more space between her lovers so she could change the sheets at least. She'd showered already when Primrose had passed out, but the sheets could still use a change. It was one of the small things Fang could do to feel less inhumane about the rapes.

"You don't remember me," the woman said, surprising Fang. She did sleep with a lot of women, that was true, but Fang usually recalled those she'd been with already. Especially the Yuns.

"I'm sorry," Fang apologized, unable for the life of her to recall her pretty face amidst the myriads she'd already had. "Were you pregnant with me already once?" Fang asked, thinking that the most likely route to explain this, if she had been from a few years ago.

"I'm not one of your women, Fang." The woman said, startling Fang by knowing her name. The Yuns weren't privileged to that information. Some of the Umbra called her that, preferring to whisper it in bed, but her identity as Fang was hidden from everyone but them. Fang had lost that privilege when she'd been revealed as Ragnarok.

"How do you know my name?" Fang demanded, more than a little flustered by the revelation. Bad things happened to a Yun who knew too much, bad things worse than Fang. No one but the Umbra called her by that name, and only in the private sanctity of home or bed. "Who are you?"

"It's me, Fang." The woman said, "It's Summer. From your past."

Fang stiffened straighter than a board at first mention of her name. It was a name that she remembered, one that came with memories back in time when she'd just been a girl back then. Fifteen and little, she'd become friends with this older woman and joined her hunting trip a few times. Summer had been kind to her and Fang, hopelessly crushing on her four-year-older friend. Summer had joined her for dinner more than once, sweetly, and doted on Fang. She'd made love to her the following year, so heartstricken with her friend, she'd intended to mate her once upon a time. That'd been before Fang had been taken up a few days later when she'd been discovered to hold Ragnarok within.

Fang had had sex so many times since then, with so many instances of heartless, sex for sex and reproduction, she'd forgotten the face of her childhood best friend. Twenty-nine now with thirteen years passed, Summer, who'd once meant everything to a village-raised, orphan Fang, had completely gone. Meaningless sex for reproduction had punched the memories out of Fang, who was not a little girl anymore and had lost those romantic ideas a long time ago.

"Shut the door," Fang finally managed to hiss through choked teeth. Summer did so quietly behind. Fang was at her back and latched arms around her waist, fervently whispering in her ear quickly. "Speak of this to no one."

"Why?" Summer challenged, not very moved by the grasp. "Are you ashamed you're not dead like they told us?"

"They'll hurt you," Fang hissed, squeezing her arm around Summer's middle to emphasize what she was saying.

"More or less than you're about to?" Summer cast over her shoulder coldly, stinging Fang. Fang turned her in her grasp till Summer faced her again, back to the door, closed in by Fang.

There were so many things Fang wanted to say, things she wasn't permitted that'd put Summer in danger to say. Much as Fang yearned to spill her guts about the last thirteen years, it wouldn't do either of them a spot of good, except maybe to ease Fang's conscience in what she had to do. She wasn't going to put Summer at risk for that, so she said instead. "This doesn't have to hurt."

Summer slapped her. Fang grabbed her arm to keep it from happening again. "I mourned for you," Summer spat, little ambers burning like fiery coals burning straight into Fang. "For this." Summer looked into her with those strong, seething eyes full of clouded, angry pain. She ducked under Fang's arm and made to the middle of the room. "Let's get this over with," Summer said, undoing her jeans as she stepped away from Fang. "Make your bastard babies and be done. How many times must you come in me?"

The question was cold, but something else struck Fang worse than that. Summer had said bastard, which meant… "You're mated?"

"What?" Summer loosed her jeans and took them off cleanly, "Is that bonus points to you?"

A painful stab pierced Fang's dwindled heart. She was destroying another life, one she desperately didn't want to. Summer was mated… she was happy before Fang.

Summer scanned the bed with growing disdain. "I'll change that," Fang started to say, but Summer simply covered it with a sheet.

"What for? You'll have another woman after your six hours with me. Why waste the sheets?"

Fang swallowed hard, a thick knot in her stomach and throat as Summer climbed pants-less into the bed. It'd once been something Fang dreamed of with her endlessly. Thoughts of Summer had been her escape in the beginning. Now, she had nothing left, and operated like a machine in destroying the relationships of her clan.

Fang crossed the room to the girl she'd once known inside and out, now a stranger who hated her like the rest. Fang deserved it for what she'd done, what she continued to do to her clan like this and the endless babies she'd fathered that she'd never see, to be grown and primed something like herself when they came of age, _if _they too held her 'gift' of immortality. Fang hated herself too for it, but worse than all that yet was when she saw Summer's face in that bed. Jaw set and clenched, shirt still on and not coming off, with a forced, angry and pained determination in her eyes, so near breaking, they watered as Fang drew near. Summer closed her eyes and breathed as Fang came above her. It took long concentration to get her hard with Summer like this.

"Are you ready?" Fang asked, moving above her to hover. Summer didn't speak, but a tick worked in her jaw when Fang touched her hair near her head. Fang grabbed herself below and worked herself up more, enough to fizz at the tip and to coat herself with it to ease her entry as much as possible and shorten the span of time she'd have to thrust in. Summer wouldn't come for her either way; Fang was trying to make it as easy as possible on her. Still, when she pushed in, Summer's clenched jaw tightened. She opened those seething, hurt, and angry eyes on Fang, who steadied herself with a hand on Summer's shoulder as she began. They didn't kiss, didn't talk, or try to ease each other's pain, but Summer stared through her long and hard with eyes that pierced her withered soul. Not a single tear eased back into Summer's hair during Fang's invasion. Fang couldn't tell if she felt better or worse for the lack of manifestation of Summer's pain.

Hours later when neither could take any more again, Summer rested her head to pillow, spent and probably in a lot of pain. Only when Fang was sure she slept did she push back a strand of sweat-frazzled hair and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Summer would never hear her apologies made in vain.

**XXX**

Lightning inhaled at the cool touch, fingers snug between her legs, coated a cool cream that stung and tickled and felt so good in her hot center, chilling the open sores she soothed over with her finger. Lightning rubbed it in to all she could reach, then dipped for another, two fingers this time. She closed her eyes and moaned with the fantastic, other-world relief.

The bathroom door opened again, revealing Odile coming out with an amused smile. Her long, blonde hair fluttered behind her as she walked, olive eyes dazzling as she looked upon Lightning with favor. Every step bounced her bountiful breasts that attracted so many men. "Sounds like you're getting off, darling."

"This feels so good," Lightning murmured, holding back a groan. "Try it, Odile."

Odile crossed to her bed and picked up the little jar. "New cream?" She speculated, sniffing at the stuff.

"It's very good," Lightning said, finally pulling her fingers free when she'd smeared all she could reach. She went to wash her hands in the sink.

"I don't have any open sores," Odile said, capping the lid to the little jar. "How long are you off sex?"

"I'm supposed to wait two weeks for it to cure completely. Three, if my body's slow to heal with it."

"Three weeks?" Odile questioned as she came back into the room. "That's not so bad."

"Not so bad?" Lightning questioned, wondering at her sanity. "Are you crazy? I can't afford a month off sex. Neither of us can. We're 28 already and have no children. Within two years, we'll be enslaved for infertility." Even being Umbra-born wouldn't save them from that fate. It was true, some men took pity on them because their Cocoon fathers had been raped to conceive them, but if Lightning and Odile couldn't get pregnant within the primes of their lives, they'd be discarded like all other women who couldn't breed. Even Sage, Cocoon's leader on high who'd taken Odile and Lightning under his wing when they'd been born, would have a hard time protecting them when they were known to be an infertile breed. Bad things happened to women who couldn't bear; Lightning had no intention of becoming one of those shameful slaves. She had 36 months left to conceive; she couldn't waste them waiting around like this. Lightning shook her head. "I'm just off my bleeding week too. It's horrible timing. I'm going to try to give it a week if I can manage that."

"You shouldn't." Odile shook her head, "You're never going to heal that way. Even if you got pregnant, the baby would catch the virus and die before you could do anything about it. Keep off sex, Lightning."

"You're probably right…" Lightning looked at the little bottle longingly, willing her healing to speed. "It hurt so bad today, I could only get through one go. And that was while I was thinking of you."

"Your fucked somebody today?" Odile asked in surprise, "With open sores?"

"He had a big dick," Lightning explained, "And he wanted me anyway, so, I figured... good to add to the list, you know?"

"A big dick," Odile mused ponderously, "Who was he?"

"His name was Rick," Lightning shared, fully intending to let Odile use him if she wanted to try to seduce him. "Big, hefty guy, black hair with white scruff, only decently brutish. But... he preferred submissive over your style, if you go after him."

"Hmm, I think I've seen him." Odile considered, looking again at the little cream again. "You should apply more, you know. I'm sure your fingers didn't go deep enough."

Lightning blushed, deeply embarrassed by that fact. It was a flaw both she and Odile shared, this resistance to having children with vaginas so deep. Odile had tested before, of course she had, she had that strange kind of way, and figured both her and Lightning measured far more than the average man could reach.

"Come on," Odile encouraged, grabbing the little jar off the table again. "I'll help. Lie down, Light."

Lightning cast her a furtive look and started removing her pants. "Thanks," Odile just nodded and took the little jar over to the foot of the bed. Lightning kicked off her pants and relaxed back to the bed.

"Legs," Odile patted them, spreading Lightning's out till she was faced with her vag. She smiled faintly. "Your pink is starting to show."

"What?" Lightning asked, leaning up on her forearms to see. Odile's fingers ran through her short strands where the top of the dyed-black coloring had pinkened again. "Ugh," Lightning groaned, laying back to run a hand through her equally-dark hair atop her head, also dyed.

"I like your pink," Odile claimed with a smile, "It's cute."

"That's easy to say when it's not yours," Lightning hated her coloring; it was a constant reminder of her shameful roots from her mother. Odile called her fanatical, but Lightning hated when it showed, and so, 'fanatically' dyed her hairs and roots whenever they showed. Even her eyebrows were darkened. Lightning hid her pink entirely. "I'm gonna have to sleep with Shanks for more dye," Lightning groaned. Shanks was an old, old storekeeper in the castle; with no chance of pregnancy from him, the sex was a total waste of time and painful. He was a kinky old bastard, that one.

Lightning inhaled again as she felt Odile's fingers there, inserting into her warm crevasse with the cool cream. She poked around gently, extending deep with a long finger. "I'll do it for you." Odile volunteered.

"No," Lightning was touched she'd offer, but she wouldn't let Odile waste her time on her behalf. "I'll— "

"_You're _injured," Odile interrupted, "And shouldn't be sleeping around uselessly while you heal. I'll do it and get your dye for you while you get better."

"It's not that important— " Lightning started to say to Odile's snort.

"It is to you. And I know you'll go off to sleep with him anyway for it. Like I said, useless sex that'll irritate you. You'd do it for me, so, I'm going to do it, Light. You might as well give up."

Lightning breathed out and relaxed back to the bed, mind easing as Odile soothed her deepest crevasses. "Thank you," Lightning finally said after a moment, knowing Odile would do exactly as she said however Lightning put it.

"Mmm," Odile hummed faintly, lulling Lightning into a relaxed, easy state. Lightning closed her eyes after a time and rested.

"You know," Odile said after a little time, when the cool fingers had stopped and Lightning heard the sink. "We should get away." The sink turned off. Lightning murmured against the claim.

"Not worth the whipping for a few days away."

"I don't mean a few days," Odile corrected, sliding into bed warmly beside Lightning, whom she scooted a little towards the wall, then folded around with an arm wrapping around her belly. She whispered to her. "I mean we should leave. Escape."

Lightning rested back into her warm grasp, cuddled and rested against her best friend and lover. "Men would find us. Beat us. Make us slaves. Outside of Sage's protection, we're vulnerable."

"Maybe," Odile admitted, "Or maybe we'd get away."

"Get away where?" Lightning responded, tragically realistic. "Everywhere's the same. We'd probably get worse treatment somewhere else. Especially if they knew our heritage. They wouldn't all take pity on us like Sage did."

"We could go to Gran Pulse," Odile suggested, "Blend in there."

Lightning snorted. "The tribes there are even more barbaric. They'd rape us as traitors, and if we came across a Yun?" Lightning shook her head, cuddling further in against Odile. "They're animals. Worse than beasts. Don't you hear things about them?"

"Maybe," Odile confessed with a soft sigh. "I suppose you couldn't be around an Umbra without killing her, too."

"Right," Lightning agreed, "I'd try to kill the Umbra, and then where would we be? Captive and subject to whatever they want."

"You should learn how to hunt," Odile purred in her ear. "We could live alone someplace hidden. Just you and me."

"Shall I ask the next man who beds me to borrow his knife?" She shook her head again softly. "They'd find us wherever we go."

"I suppose…"

Lightning turned in her arms. This had grown more than fanciful. Odile sounded wistful for this, which confused Lightning. Here in the castle, under the Sage's protection, they received the best treatment of any lifetime they could get in this age. It wasn't unusual for Odile to talk or speak fancifully, but she never carried it on like this, like an actual suggestion. "What's wrong?" Lightning read, scanning her pretty face that would seem relaxed to anybody else who didn't know her as well.

Odile lifted a finger to touch Lightning's cheek. "We're getting old, Light." She stroked her chin gently. "Sage knows it… Yet you still look twenty to me, or even eighteen." Lightning's brow furrowed as she pet her cheek. "Don't give me that look," Odile chided, "You hold your youth well. We both do."

"We're not gonna be slaves, Odile," Lightning said, reading Odile's trepidation.

"We've been fucking for ten years," Odile reminded sadly, "Neither of us have borne a son. We haven't bore anything."

Lightning's stomach twisted; this was something she was acutely aware of too. "We've still got time."

"And then what?" Odile posed, "That'll buy us three years before we're expected to give birth again. Even if we somehow both made it to the twenty-five year mark, no way could we pull it off again." Lightning lowered her eyes; it was something she'd been putting off her mind for a long time too. "We could go somewhere else, if not Gran Pulse, then someplace here," Odile said, "Get picked up by another family. Maybe a nicer one. Pretend to be younger again."

"I don't want to run away from Sage," Lightning protested, "If we're going to end up in enslavement, he'll at least try to do something for us about it, and it'd be the best offer we'd get. Besides, you know Sage would find us anywhere we go," Lightning pointed out again, much more drearily this time.

"In Gran Pulse, he wouldn't." Odile repeated, "We could learn their customs there. We both have the blood; we could blend with the tribes, Lightning."

Lightning didn't like the sound of that. It seemed like Odile had really been thinking about this, and when a thought caught Odile's attention, she took it and ran. But neither of them knew; living with the tribes could be so much worse than becoming a slave. Lightning had heard terrible things, like their fascination for all things brutal: hunting, sex, and killing. Men spoke of the barbaric things the clans did, clans like the Yuns especially who lived in savagery all throughout the land. It wasn't an answer to hide out in Gran Pulse, it was a death-sentence from people who lived filthier than cavemen. And Lightning hated their breed.

Odile seemed to read her helplessly angering face, for her lips were on Lightning's in another second in kissing. It softened Lightning again out of her mind of hate. When she separated, Odile rubbed her arm lovingly. "Think about it with me. That's all I ask." She rubbed Lightning's arm soothingly. "I don't want to lose you when we become too old."

"Sage would keep us together," Lightning claimed. If anyone would take mercy on them, it'd be Sage. Odile pulled her in close again and Lightning wrapped an arm around her in turn, cozied into Odile's shoulder all warm.

"Stay with me," Odile coaxed, lulling Lightning back into that comfortable state so easily. Lightning ducked her head into Odile's shoulder and dreamed.


	2. Chapter 2

Fang returned to the villa, a wide, mansion-like marble building she was supposed to know as home. Fang knew better than to think of it like that. The villa was simply the place they caged her after a long day; home of the Umbra elders, Jeanne, Cereza, and their young daughter of Fang's. Her Umbra escort left her when they reached the foyer with Fang. It'd do no good to run anyway. With the talent of Witch Time at the fingertips of an Umbra's hands, she'd never escaped and never would on any attempt, which had stopped a long time ago when Fang understood how fruitless they were. They only caused her injured clan more pain, a fact that would always be held against her to prevent any sympathetic act from Fang.

Fang started for the kitchen. Jeanne, the tall, white-haired Umbra Elder met her halfway and greeted Fang, who echoed a shallow, "Evening, Elder," respectfully back as she always did. Jeanne cast her that eye of concern back as she usually did and put a hand on Fang's shoulder to guide her to the kitchen where food had already been brought to the table for the two of them. The daughter, Rhea, was nowhere to be seen tonight. Nor was her mother present.

"Rhea and Cereza are visiting Athena's tonight," Jeanne filled in for Fang.

"Will you be requiring me then?" Fang asked simply, knowing this was as good a reason as any for her to fuck Jeanne tonight. It'd become a practice, almost a nightly ritual they shared every other day by now, most always with Cereza.

Fang fulfilled a need, as her prophecy had foretold. _And the blooded children of Ragnarok shall not grow old and age._

So spoke her fate. And then Roma of the Umbra Circle of Elders had suggested the possibility of breeding Ragnarok's children as well. As Fang could produce no equipped, full-blooded child with any other clan, thus came in the Yuns, full-bloods, in hopes of breeding another Ragnarok to share more quickly.

Thus explained Fang's recent life in a jiffy.

"…No," Jeanne said finally. Fang had done two Yuns already today, something extremely rare in and of itself. Jeanne's decency was getting the better of her again; there was no other reason to deny this night with Fang, especially when she needed it so much.

"I'm okay; I can sleep with you if you want." Fang said, not out of grandiose sacrifice or a feeling of owing that to Jeanne. She just had a duty to do and would fulfill it respectfully. Fang didn't much want to be alone tonight anyway. Thoughts of Summer staring at her would plague her nightmares. Doing Jeanne with Cereza would keep her busy and distracted, at least. Besides, bad as Fang believed she had it, it would be so much worse if Jeanne wasn't the clan Elder. Whether Fang was numb to kindness or not, Jeanne and Cereza did treat her better than most of their Umbra sisters did. Jeanne still clung to a tad of guilt concerning Fang. It'd preserved their humanity. Fang didn't relish the thought of how much more she'd do without them.

So, she would help Jeanne.

"Fang," Jeanne addressed unexpectedly, seemingly about to make conversation with her. "…You've had a rough day. You should rest." Fang glanced up and tried to read where this was coming from. Jeanne answered that in her next breath. "I was outside your door, Fang."

With those six words, Fang stiffened like a board, rigid down to her knees. She had hoped her guardians had been away, escorting Primrose; nobody had come in at Summer's confession of knowing Fang. She thought they hadn't heard that slip of tongue. "Don't hurt her," Fang asked meekly, in no position to make demand. "She won't say anything."

"Fang— "

"Please," Fang begged, unusually disrespectful in overrunning her words. It was just— Summer had already paid a steep price, being submitted to Fang. The last thing Fang wanted was for Summer to be pulled away or worse for the simple error in remembering Fang. Fang had ruined her enough already without resorting to that. "She won't talk. Any threat against her family will shut her up. You don't have to do anything— "

"Fang," Jeanne overran more firmly, abruptly shutting Fang up from speaking. She looked at Jeanne, feeling ill with pleading eyes. "We're not going to do anything to her or her family." Fang couldn't find it in herself to believe it until Jeanne specified. "I'm not going to do anything," she meant in telling, Fang thought. Jeanne wasn't going to tell anyone about Summer. And if the rest of the Umbra didn't know, Summer was safe. A whole flood of relief overwhelmed Fang.

"Thank you." Fang meant truly, appreciation tripling for Jeanne in that moment. It wasn't something she had to do at all, maybe even something she shouldn't be doing, but of all the Umbra Fang knew and had slept with, Jeanne had one of, if not the, softest spot for Fang. It wasn't something she dared show, for her sisters would consider it a weakness, but Jeanne had been sorry that day, 11 years ago, when she'd sent away Fang. Her kindness couldn't reach as far as forbidding the sharing of Fang, but it was why Fang didn't hate her like most of of them. She and Cereza both held this small, but not overlooked kindness for Fang.

Fang would make extra effort to really please her when she went to bed with Jeanne again.

"Fang," Jeanne gently pressed, her good heart keeping her from being silent. She seemed at a loss for words for a moment, then finally said, "You can talk to me about that girl, Summer? If you need."

"Is that an order?" Fang asked quietly.

"No."

"Then no thank you, Elder." Fang declined respectfully, in no mood for that sore spot to be brought back up again today.

Jeanne stood, seemingly at odds with herself when she finally said, "I won't be requiring you tonight, Fang."

Fang looked down at her feett as Jeanne's gun-heels clicked away, the magically-powered Rose pistols all Umbra wore strapped to their shoes as a heel. Fang sat, devoid and alone again.

**XXX**

"Lightning, my dear," the wizened, Elder Sage addressed. Worn down by centuries of time and the war that had passed, Barthandelus no longer represented the strong demi-God he'd once been. Blessed with an exceedingly long lifespan, the old Sage was not yet at his end and would probably live for a few centuries yet. It seemed a long time to Lightning and anyone else without that lifespan, but to the mighty Sage he'd once been, Barthandelus was nearing his end.

That wasn't to say he wasn't powerful. Oh no, Barthandelus still was an Elder Sage, and would gain more power until the very, very end. That was the trade-off of being a mighty Sage; as he aged, his powers grew stronger and stronger yet. Barthandelus could do almost anything with his magic and before he died, he'd inflict that on the Umbra swarm.

Physically, though, he remained a weakened, old man. And the old man before her was her guardian in all things; he'd taken Lightning and Odile in as outcasts and protected them from prejudices and dangers of other men. Lightning and Odile owed their lives and every special privilege to Sage. Other women didn't get housed and fed as well as them, and to everybody else, a woman sleeping with another without express command from a man was subject to death or worse in enslavement.

Lightning didn't know what she'd do without that allowance for Odile to share her bed. It was a weakness, Sage called it, her draw to share a fellow Umbra's bed. Lightning hated thinking about it like that; that she'd share this same 'weakness' for any other Umbra she met, and denied it to herself fully, but it let her have Odile, and for that, she was quiet in protesting Sage's speculation. It wasn't like she could disprove it anyway, having never met another Umbra to test.

"Come forth," Sage summoned with an indication of his staff tilted backwards. "Both of you."

Lightning glanced at Odile from her kneeling position where the long-haired beauty knelt beside her. Odile gave her a little smile and picked up off the floor with Lightning. Sage rested back his great staff to the wall.

They approached Sage with reverence, bowing before they stepped up to the side of his throne. Barthandelus smiled warmly at them and extended a frail hand to Lightning's face, which he touched with a gentleness unknown to the likes of man. Lightning closed her eyes as he stroked back a whisk of hair with tenderness, like she'd imagined her father would've if he hadn't been dead. "My darlings," When she opened her eyes, she saw Sage holding Odile's hand with his other one, his fingers still tucking away her black strands. "I have missed you, my dears." Sage said, "Tell me, how fares your birthing statuses?"

Though Odile had little reaction, Lightning was deeply shamed by the question and lowered her eyes. "We're still trying, your Benevolency. We haven't managed of yet."

"Oh, Lightning," Sage dropped his frail hand to lay over hers as well. "Odile," he addressed as well, weakly squeezing her hand. "You both are shining examples of perseverance in our lands. Even when the darkest hours of doubt pass. You visited the physician today, didn't you, Lightning?"

"It's nothing serious," Lightning excused quickly.

"He gave you cream for your sores." Sage said knowingly, "Yet you still bedded a man."

"Before," Lightning specified, in case he didn't know. "He insisted even after I told him I was diseased."

"And you satisfied him admirably." Sage agreed. "This is the kind of commendable behavior that makes me proud, Lightning." He gave her an old, grandfatherly smile. "And Odile," he addressed, commending, "Your willingness to bargain with Shanks in Lightning's place is admirable. The lengths you go to help dear Lightning is worthy of exceptional note. You have a very kind spirit indeed, my bounteous girl." Odile's eyes were troubled, as were Lightning's. That had been part of Lightning and Odile's private conversation. If Sage knew about that so soon after it'd happened, then… "Yes," Sage nodded his understanding, seeming to read her very mind. "I know you two discussed an escape earlier today."

Lightning's blood ran cold. Odile looked scared and took back a step. Lightning was sure she did too, but logic overran the instinct to run. Sage could kill them in an instant no matter how hard they ran. More likely he'd show his great mercy if they owned up right now. Odile seemed to be panicking with wide eyes. She took another step back, stumbled on the decline, and tripped. Something invisible caught her and started pushing her to Sage again.

Lightning panicked. "It was me!" she blurted, freezing Odile's wide eyes on her. Lightning hoped she'd keep quiet. "I came up with the plan."

"No, Lightning." Sage denied calmly as Odile braced taut by Sage's invisible command. "That's not how it was."

"I'm sorry," Odile apologized, usually calm features were clouded with fear and struggle. "I didn't mean it— "

"Of course you did," Sage echoed in that calm tone, "And it hurts my heart, Odile. Both of you hurt my heart."

"Majesty— " Lightning started to say.

"Shh, child," Sage lulled, voice like floating relaxation, despite Lightning's tense, quickly-beating heart. "Shh. I understand your pain, my girls, and your fear of coming to age without a single babe." Lightning swallowed, hoping against hope for his great mercy now. He could slaughter them in a second if he liked. "I know you're afraid," Sage said in understanding, "And I don't blame you for thinking to get away. It's as Odile says," he took her chin in his fingers, looking sadly towards the woman. "Even I won't be able to help you when you come of age without them. These are simply the rules of the worlds. No one can change them, and no exceptions can be made. You understand?"

"Yes," Odile barely breathed with bated breath, eyes linked on Sage's. Her shoulders slowly relaxed, released from the hold. The fear lessoned in her eyes, bit by bit as she stared at Sage. Lightning thought she saw some kind of light touch her skin, but it vanished in a blink. "I… understand, Majesty."

She stared at Odile, who'd completely settled in a relaxed state.

"I know you do," Sage said, finally looking away. Lightning kept her eyes on Odile, who met hers after a moment with a seemingly distanced, contented state, like that after a bout of sex with Lightning. "Light," Sage repeated, hand moving up her arm for her attention. He answered her unspoken question easily. "I have merely relaxed her panicked state," Sage informed, "I could do the same to you, if you are still afraid."

"Will she come out of it?" Lightning asked, concerned eyes on Odile, who looked at Sage with glossy eyes.

"Of course." Sage touched Odile's chin again and tapped it once, saying her name. Odile snapped out of it, eyes wizzing between Lightning and Sage again as she gained her bearings. "Odile," Sage called again, "It's okay."

Odile met Lightning's gaze for only a few furtive seconds, then evaded his eyes to stare at the floor. "I'm sorry," she said again.

"I know," Sage seemed to forgive, "It's only natural that you're afraid. Coming out of your primes with no children to show for it is a difficult shame to take, made no easier knowing it's that half-Umbra flaw that's causing you this pain."

Lightning's eyes flitted back to him when Odile wouldn't look at her again, full of that shame. "We're trying, Benevolency. We only had a moment of weakness. Please."

"I know," Sage said, "And I forgive you for it. Lightning, Odile, you don't have to be afraid."

"Majesty…" Lightning's eyes almost watered with his extreme graciousness, forgiving them of speaking treason, an executable-sin.

"Now, now," Sage stroked her arm to settle her again, "I loathe to see my girls in pain. Come, Lightning." He gestured with a hand, summoning her to bend closer to him. He cradled her cheek and gave the other a chaste kiss. Lightning's heart sped for the father figure she had in him. "All is forgiven," he blessed.

"Thank you, Excellency," Lightning thanked with all her sincerity in gratefulness. "Your compassion for us knows no bounds."

"Yes," Odile agreed quietly, "Thank you."

"In fact," Sage noddingly added, "Your discussion has had me searching for another way, and I might have found one," Even Odile's head lifted at this. "I am in no hurry to lose my two beloveds either."

"Another way?" Lightning asked, confusedly.

"Yes," Sage nodded, then looked to his guardsmen. "Soldiers. If you'd excuse us, please." The few guardsmen saluted and left. Sage turned back gentle eyes to them. "I've been looking for methods to help you get pregnant. Both of you, for some time now."

"You have?" Lightning asked, hardly in belief of this. Above and beyond was the understatement of the century. When Sage had signed on to care for them from Lightning's dying father, she'd have never expected a stretch like this from their highest king.

"Have you found anything?" Odile asked eagerly.

"Yes, and yes," Sage revealed with a little bob of his head, "Don't sound so surprised, Lightning. I care for you both deeply." Sage continued on, "In any case, your discussion with Odile about escaping brought my thoughts to it. I've been pondering for some time, and this thought may work to help save you."

Lightning was speechless. Odile was not. "What is it?"

"Shh, my girls," Sage cautioned, "You may not speak of this to anyone, my dears."

"We won't," Odile readily agreed. Sage looked to Lightning for confirmation and received it with a nod.

"You must promise me."

"We swear," Odile eagerly said.

"Promise," Lightning agreed, meaning this to the depths of her being.

Sage nodded his wizened head. "Ragnarok has been born again." Lightning and Odile both stared for further explanation. "Ragnarok," Sage went on, "Is an ancient, prophesized beast who breeds immortal children. It could return Umbra rule to its full strength again." Lightning's eyes widened. Sage nodded his old head. "Yes, and it has been born already in the land of our enemies."

"Immortal children?" Odile repeated.

"Indeed," Sage agreed, "The gift of everlasting life, bestowed to all those who partake Ragnarok's seed. This is a very troubling thing in the hands of our enemy."

"We should capture it," Lightning said, thinking quickly, "Capture the Ragnarok and bring it here so Umbra can't use it. We could even use the Ragnarok on the women here and make and immortal army to completely wipe out the Umbra."

"You are thinking, my sweet child," Sage rubbed her arm smoothly. "But the Ragnarok is not a thing we can capture so easily. It is powerful, vastly powerful, and no doubt protected by the Umbra hordes, you see."

Lightning paled, in no mood to think of how a Ragnarok-happy Umbra horde would be. They'd flood back into Cocoon again and take them all for slaves. Even Sage's magic couldn't stand against all of them at once. "What do we do?"

"We're Umbra." Odile said suddenly.

Sage smiled easily, "This is where my thoughts lent, you understand. In my midst, I have two tragically-born half-Umbras with little time left until you come of age. Neither of you has borne a child, and time escapes us so easily."

Lightning blinked, trying to follow the train of thought that only seemed to lead one way. "You… you want us to seek Ragnarok for a baby?"

"I have put much concentration behind it," Sage said, "And I see this going simply; a way I can save you, my dears. I would have to let you go but a short time to seek the beast and seduce it. You would blend in Cocoon lands and, as Umbra, perhaps have the most direct access to the Ragnarok. Its seed is legendary. Once you have seduced it, you will get pregnant in time, I am almost sure of that. And then, you can slip away and return home with that seed. The births of Ragnarok babies will fester a new generation of hope for us, and they too, will be able to spread their seed far and wide when they come of age. As you say, Lightning, we can build an army of Ragnaroks in time and turn that prophecy against them on their heads!" Sage captivated her with the thought. Her deceased father could finally have his deserved peace with the Umbra dead.

Sage continued on to say. "You, as the bearers and blessing of Ragnarok's seed, would be as queens to our land. No man would be permitted to touch you again, after Ragnarok's touch, and my beautiful darlings would be revered for bringing the miracle sons into our lands. Age could not matter a thing if you blessed us with this deed! You would never be expected to reproduce again, my loves!"

Lightning could barely breathe. Odile's olive eyes flared with desire for this. "Queens…"

"As glorified and honored as me," Sage agreed, "As my adopted kin should be."

Lightning still couldn't speak in digesting all this. Odile was more than eager for it. "Where do we find it? How do we tame it enough to fuck?"

"Patience, my dear child," Sage tempered, "You will need training and to learn the ways of the kin you seek to infiltrate. I can teach you these things."

Lightning's eyes widened again. Training, infiltration, and lessons of the enemies ways… these were things no woman was permitted to learn being presented to them on a silver plate. All given to them in the great benevolence of Sage! She could weep for the great love he held for them. "What is Ragnarok? I've never heard of it in the men's stories."

"It is a beast," Sage answered astutely, "A beast of mythical powers and great proportions. It will be no easy thing to get to it or tame it to give you its seed, but I will train you," Sage assured, "And I will be with you, mentally. You may call upon me any time you need guidance. My powers are limited at a distance, but I may be able to help you yet and I will always guide you." Sage bowed his head, "You have not heard of it because the beast has only recently come to my attention. It may be that it's just been born, or it may be that my powers have only just attained the capabilities to detect it in its hiding. Whichever the case, we cannot just let it be."

Lightning swallowed back her trepidation. "Do you really think we can seduce it?"

"Oh, I am sure, my darling." Sage assured again, "The Beast is foretold to be sensitive to Umbra scent especially. I have the utmost faith in you and Odile in this task. Your seduction is sure to stir it away." Sage bowed his head again, deeper this time. "I will give you time to think this over, my darlings. I realize what's at stake."

"We'll do it." Odile agreed quickly, drawing both their eyes to her easy agreement. She looked to Lightning like she was insane for not seconding the thought immediately. "We'll do it," Odile said again, "Right, Light?"

Lightning wasn't so confident as her. The treasure sounded unbelievable, for sure, carrying something as important as the seed that would save their world and, more importantly, destroy the Umbra. Lightning would do it for that alone, but then Sage offered them relief, lifetime relief from the pains and torture of men! Could his grace know no boundaries like this? He had such benevolence for them, two half-Umbra caught in his sympathy! Lightning loved him like her missing father so badly.

"Okay," Lightning agreed too, "We'll do it."


	3. Chapter 3

Fang pulled on her white suit, dressing to the demand of the occasion of her next visit. She picked a red tie, Roma's favorite color, and wound that around her neck as well. It was just too bad Fang couldn't choke herself with that tie instead. Fixing her cuffs and the fit of the pants in the length-wise mirror she had, Fang fixed herself as best she could. Nothing could be done about that mess of hair on her head, but at least most of the scars had been hidden for first presentation. Most of them, not including the ones scraped down Fang's cheek and jaw. Starting on the bone of her left cheek, jutting down, three slender, but prominent scars that'd burrowed deep into the skin when the cut had been fresh so many years ago. A little ragged, and jutted where the cougar claws had been ripped out, the broken skin had healed over gruesomely like the gashes in her arm.

Fang was on her way to see the same woman today who'd given her those scars. Roma liked giving it roughly. She'd claimed the transformation of her nails to claws had been an accident when confronted with Fang's scars, but even Fang knew better than that. It'd been her power, control, and a message to the other Umbra after she and Fang were done. Fang was owned and forever would be.

Checking herself in the mirror one last time, Fang made her way to the bedroom doorway to head out, glad at least for the tall doors of Umbra make. Anything under six and a half feet, Fang always hit her head on the frame. She made her way down the long hallways and down the winding staircase and crossed to the front hall where little Rhea unexpectedly dashed into existence, faster than the eye could follow, just zapped right into space out of Witch-Time, an out-of-real-time dimension where those of the Umbra blood could move faster than the speed of light, with everything else slowed around them. Fang had never experience it, of course, she wasn't a Witch, but Jeanne had explained it to her before explicitly.

"Oooh," Rhea cooed, whizzing to a stop in front of Fang. "You look pretty, Fang!"

Fang gazed upon her young daughter. With long, straight black hair she balanced up on her head in a manner similar to her mom's, unusual red tendrils streaked through her black locks. The red was from Fang's tips, but the child would never be told. Eyes verging on a muggy, fern green, that remained inconclusive as well, different from Fang's bright eyes that shone. "Thank you," Fang said to the innocent girl, "You look nice in that white dress. Going somewhere today with Mums?"

Rhea beamed at the compliment, "I am! Mums are taking me and Aura to the cliffs for a picnic and Witch-practice today. Aura's mum's venturing some, so Aura's gonna stay all week!"

"That sounds like fun," Fang politely said, "Are you still practicing growing your hair out?"

Rhea nodded, encouraged to speak of the Umbra-ability to lengthen their hair on mental command. As one of their magical aspects, they mostly wore their hair as garments. It was a bit of a showy thing, though more than one Umbra had proved they could do more with the curious aspect to Fang before. "I can go six feet! But then my head hurts, and I have to stop."

"Safety first," Fang cautioned the little one.

"I know, I know," the little one blew off. "But I'm gonna grow it like mummy's someday. It'll be long and strong and pretty." Rhea claimed. "And I'll be really fast. Fast enough to hold Witch Time for long times!"

"I'm sure you'll get there," Fang supported.

"Rhea," Cereza called from the other room, coming in. Eight feet in all her glory, almost nine with the black hair wound up upon her head in a beehive-fashion, Cereza's clicking gun-heels came to a halt as she stopped walking. Gray eyes behind rounded, rectangular glasses smiled with the curve of her lips on pale Umbra skin as she walked in.

"Mummy!" In the blink of an eye, she was gone and in Cereza's arms, clinging to her like a cute little cub.

"You're practicing With Time, I see."

Rhea giggled. "Fang's head turns so slow, Mummy."

Cereza smiled at the darling thing, "It did, didn't it, darling?" In the blink of an eye, they were gone again, then were behind Fang. "That's enough, Sweetie," Cereza calmed. "We have to get Fang on her way and ready."

"Is she adventuring again, Mummy?"

"Precisely," Cereza nodded, "And she can't be late." Cereza put a hand on her shoulder, eying Fang's scars with Jeanne's sympathy. "Are you ready, Fang?"

"I'm ready," Fang said, and set out to please her next Umbra mother with a second baby.

**XXX**

Lightning sweated, toiled, and hurt worse than sex sometimes, but the time spent training turned out to be the best of her life. They started slow, easily, for neither she nor Odile had the slightest clue for training, but they progressed. Lightning found her weapon of choice within the first week and loved it, the quick power she had in wielding a gunblade. It was incredible to be given a weapon and trusted with this great power no known woman had ever had, and Lightning and Odile both took to it enthusiastically.

Lightning quickly found her best strength in speed; for the first eight weeks, all she learned was the blade, how to wield it, when to swing, how to parry and block another's advance. They were going in for infiltration, but Sage told them of Gran Pulse's history and customs of today, how it would be strange if they didn't know these skills, and how he wanted them protected to the very best of their ability.

One of the best additional bonuses was that no one slept with them. No one was permitted to. Sage claimed he wanted them at their healthy best for the quest, and that they wouldn't run the off-chance risk of one of them getting pregnant before this venture began. It was practically heaven, Lightning speculated only in her head. With no one entering her and no real need to worry about it anymore, she healed from all diseases within those two months. And better yet, she still had Odile to take with to her bed. The more and more training and freedom they underwent, the more Lightning began to believe this was truly possible of them.

Lightning absorbed her lessons like a sponge. All things physical, trainable, and taught stayed with her. The stories, especially, mattered deeply to Lightning. In them, she learned all she'd never known about the war, that which had been forbidden to teach a woman. She found it all fascinating.

"We were both Demi-Gods, ruling in Cocoon benevolently over the tribes of Gran Pulse. We were the ones that stopped wars between the peasants, made peace and alliances through the savage tribes so that they might've combined their skills and lived as human beings. We were there since the beginning of Man, and endured centuries of peace, raising the people to talk and walk and behave like us so that they might grab ahold of humanity more than beasts. And it was good, all that we did."

"What happened then?" Lightning asked, eager for the knowledge as Odile idly threw knife blades at a target not far away. "What broke it?"

"An Umbra," Sage snarled with equal hate as Lightning held herself for the name, "We were blessed by the Gods, you understand. There were multitudes of us, more than you can fathom, enough to fill Cocoon to brimming, and we each had our parts to play. The one thing that was forbidden of us was the intermingling of our clans. Graced by the Gods with multitudes, we had no reason to seek each other in such a way, no reason to reproduce and burden our heavy planet, which manifested all our needs on demand through great creatures called fal'Cie. We had power over them as well, with all things, and our only requirement was that we never go to each other to procreate. We had each other and the Pulsian clans if such humanly needs plagued us, which was a weakness of the Witches they always had possessed, this humanly desire for each other that was sickening to see. It is a weakness you share of theirs, your attraction to each other and that lustful need you feel."

Lightning colored a little, casting a furtive glance to Odile, who eyed him with an eyebrow, seemingly amused by something he had said. "What did they do?" Lightning finally asked, bringing Sage back from his understandable tangent. The old demi-god had lived this; it must've frustrated him.

"One of the Umbra," Sage spat, "Seduced one of our kind with her toxic scent. She taunted and aroused our good man like a common whore, as if playing children amongst the Gods! Our man, Balder, he could not take it and snapped. She forced him to break our sacraments and have sex in the Sage's temple, of all places! There, in the hallowed light of our Gods, she broke our forbidden sacrament in ways no law can bend. She escaped when he lay limp, hidden by her Umbra ilk, and the Gods truly cursed us that day, for as it was foretold upon the deed, she bore a child, and our world quaked and cracked itself in."

Lightning's fists had clenched in shared anger. The woman had had to do nothing but obey a simple rule, and she'd broken that on a jest! The whore.

"Calm yourself, child," Sage breathed in with a sigh, "I know your pain, but it is as it was foretold. We cannot correct our past mistakes," he shook his head solemnly, "We went to war after that. The Umbra struck first, claiming it the Sage's fault for her inability to cross her legs. We pitted against each other in solemn, bloody war. No one escaped; the fal'Cie were loosed on the world below in Umbra attempt to sabotage and stave us. Without masters, they wandered like mindless fools, wreaking havoc on the world below on occasion. They killed thousands of innocent men and women, lives we cared about and had helped to grow as they were. Still, the Umbra lost thousands until there was very few of them left. Then, they unleashed chaos on the world below to distract us. We tried to save our people and made ourselves vulnerable to their advance, which they took quick advantage of and killed us, killed us all to the very last one. I barely escaped with my life and went into hiding for decades until I had wizened enough to cloak myself from their sight."

"How did we get here?" Lightning asked, "Our people."

"Ohh," Sage groaned, "That is one of their most treacherous tales yet. With so few Umbra left, the whores thought to 'protect' their people from the ones made in our image. Not a single male, child or adult was to be left. They started slaughtering our creation, killing them all until their people revolted to the crimes. In order to keep from killing their own, they made the cracked shell of Cocoon a new home, and escorted all the men, boys, and sympathizers to our old world, which had no beasts to slay, so they ordered the fal'Cie to take care of the people there because they hadn't wanted their women to starve. Abandoning the world entirely, we almost died out until I raised up with my creation and restored order so that they could survive the coming age. We had very few women and very few men, but we made it back then."

Lightning nodded her understanding. "And the border clashing?" She asked, referring to the last decade's string of miniature wars that'd erupted.

"A few of our men went to Gran Pulse on my command to make peace after all this time. They returned as piked heads on spears."

"Savages," Lightning whispered.

"Yes," Sage sadly confirmed, "It became apparent they could not be reasoned with. When they ventured into this land in hopes of conquering us, we fought back, as we always have."

"But how do they reproduce?" Lightning asked, confused. "If they are all women…"

"Umbra know how to twist the likes of female," Sage said ominously, "They have contorted a man's parts and function to their women."

Lightning was abhorred by the idea. Did the Umbra have no bounds? They pulled, and played, and twisted people to their own whims without a care for what they did or whom they hurt in the process. They hadn't even learned from their past mistakes. Lightning hated them.

"How are we to know their customs and traditions?" Odile asked finally, more concerned with that than the history of it all. "We don't even know what they've been doing for the past several centuries."

"We have witnessed and learned many things in our skirmishes," Sage counseled, "And I know the tricks of the Umbra ilk. You will not be unprepared," he promised, "Come, I will teach you these things."

The next month fell to that, with Lightning and Odile learning a great many about the tribes, traditions, and savage ways of their people. It both increased her fear of them and hardened her resolve to complete this fully, and to produce Ragnarok's children for her home.

Odile turned out to be an excellent tactician, as time revealed with their practices. While as expert as Lightning in the field, favoring her growing strength, which had always been greater, thanks to her Umbra half, Odile's true talents slowly manifested in the situation-course projects they were given and prepared for. Able to think on her feet with an expert eye to the details, Lightning would admit, she made a better leader. Not that Lightning was underskilled in the task when brass tacks came down to it, but Odile had a natural flair for it and a knack. It was good on both of them; they would have times of separation, Lightning reckoned, and would both need those skills. Still, she felt fairly confident about it when Odile crafted their plans, and followability was always a good thing to have in the hands of a leader.

By the five month mark, after endless training in stealth that'd stretched her capabilities to their fullest extent, Sage was smiling proud in their last days of instruction.

"My darlings, be careful," Sage advised again, "The Umbra have magic of their own you must watch for. It is nothing as strong as mine, but they make up for that in physical ability. They're strong, tricky, and deadly if you proceed the wrong way."

"We won't," Lightning vowed.

"Magic," Odile pondered, "Could we learn that as well?"

"I don't know," Sage told them honestly, "You've never displayed an aptitude that I've seen before, but Sage magic is different than Umbra talents. I don't know if mortals are compatible to the skills." Odile nodded speculatively, "The most important piece is that you blend," Sage repeated, "You won't be noticed out of the way if you keep the attention down until you find Ragnarok."

"We understand," Lightning agreed.

"Now, Odile, Lightning," Sage addressed again. "There is something I must do for you before you leave."

"Hmm?" Odile asked.

"I must cast you into a bubble of protection," Sage said, already making signals in the air with his fingers. "So, that you are not susceptible to the Umbra lust like them. You have each other, yes, but that potent lust will infect you and turn your hungry eyes on them."

"You can stop this?" Lightning asked, heart picking up a beat. She hadn't even thought of that, not like that, that she and Odile could be susceptible to lusting for _them_.

"Yes," Sage said without hesitation, "It will protect you from lusting from them, tempt you as they may try. It is a spell we used to protect our brother Sages with in Cocoon."

Even Odile seemed a little uneasy about it. "You're sure?"

"As sure as I can be," Sage assured, small tinkling white puffing over their heads, then descending in an oval around them, "I would numb all your sexual senses if Ragnarok didn't need the scent. This will have to do instead. At least you can know you will not fall into uncontrollable lust for the enemy."

"Yeah…" Lightning was worried too. Such a predicament sounded like hell, but she trusted Sage and his abilities. He would protect them through this.

"That is that," Sage settled, the little twinkles dissolving around them all pretty-like. "The last thing I can bless you with is the wisdom of my mind. Lightning," he summoned her gaze over, "Look me in the eye." Lightning did as he commanded, focusing in on his colorless lens that seemed to take her a whole nother way. She could always relax in those eyes, so persuaded to trust in everything she claimed. It was like a warm blanket covering her all warm; Lightning eased into such a state that all her fears disappeared into the abyss.

A small, burning sensation cut through the back of her head, but Lightning was not alarmed by this. It faded after a moment of staring into Sage's eyes. _How is that?_ Sage asked, but his lips hadn't moved. Lightning blinked and looked at him imploringly. _I can speak through your mind now, sweet child. Any time you need. _Sage said in her head. When she understood that, Lightning didn't feel so alarmed anymore. _I'll be with you,_ Sage assured her, _Every step of your path._

"…Light?" Odile asked uneasily when she just stared.

"I'm okay," Lightning assured, wanting to hug Sage, but suppressed the inappropriate urge for it. "Thank you, Majesty."

"You need only to say the words or reach for me to talk back," Sage told her, comforting hand on her arm like a reassuring father's. "Odile, you as well." He repeated the process. Odile took a cautious step back after a moment, looking a little dizzy.

"Whoa,"

"I will be with you, my children." Sage promised them.

Lightning felt more confident than she'd ever had yet.


	4. Chapter 4

Getting there would've been difficult, but Sage, powerful master of magic that he was, had spoken to a fal'Cie and commanded its drift their way. Odile and Lightning rode on the back of Phoenix into their lands. She'd never experienced anything so mystical in her life. Phoenix flew them over the bend in the worlds where empty space existed in what looked like a dark, black night. It was colder up here, and Lightning clung tighter to Odile so she wouldn't fall. The blackness eventually faded, though a chill still existed in the air as they sailed through big, puffy clouds that made Lightning feel colder. Little traces of dew existed on their arms as they came clear of the clouds; Lightning was so fascinated with the air around her, she barely glanced down until Odile specifically brought her attention to it.

"Look," Odile said, sounding just as awed as their elevation dropped. Below them, miles and miles of grass, rock, and stone created deep valleys in the earth. One rushed with the sound of water, which they saw spilling from the lip of a cliff. Phoenix took them another way, deeper into the uninhabited valleys as details become clearer. Jutting rocks protruded into a deep crack in the earth, which Phoenix was flying them straight into. Lightning gasped as Phoenix feet touched down on the grass between the cliffs—so much grass, it stretched for miles. Sounds registered like thunder and overwhelmed Lightning's senses; little _click, click_s, chirping, and life like she'd never heard before. She and Odile stayed on the back of Phoenix a full two minutes, absorbing it in, before the curious and magnificent creature beneath them cawed like a loud, protesting crack that startled them both into slipping off. The fal'Cie took back to the air as soon as they'd dismounted, and Lightning and Odile both watched it go as it disappeared into the blue, forever-flowing cloudy sky.

Lightning and Odile observed their empty valley of high cliffs on either side and wide, open pathways dividing routes between the cliffs. Grassland existed for as far as the eye could see, broken only by the dwarfing cliffs that towered over them. It was simply beautiful; Lightning had never seen land like this in her life. The air literally hummed; little bugs, stranger than the spiders or roaches they'd ever came across, hopped between the grasses and stones. Little twig-like critters scuttled on branches protruding out from the cliffs as small, queer creatures like the phoenix, but miniaturized floated on wings in the sky.

_Go North, _Sage's voice echoed in her head, _You will find a village there where you can find the creatures to ride. Continue North…_

"Wow," Lightning finally breathed through her mouth, and even then, the air tasted different on her tongue. There was no staleness in this place, it all just felt fresh. Even the manure left by passing critters didn't dissuade her from drawing in great breaths of this otherworldly air that tasted so good. Lightning had never so purposefully used her sensitive smell on anything before but Odile. But this, this smelled like grasses, sweet air and heaven. Lightning would never be able to pinmark this smell again, so she just stood and breathed it in. Then another sweet scent hit her senses then.

Odile moved in on her lips before Lightning could even say anything, and Maker have mercy, it was the sweetest, sexiest thing Lightning had known in her life. Lightning's arms reached up around Odile to grip her around the back. With the small, tight tribal bra-material she wore, she felt their skin slide together and warm. Odile pushed her back until Lightning hit the cliff wall and caved, caught off guard with a gasp as Odile's knee pressed hard up under the leather skirt she'd donned for this.

"We're gonna have sex," Odile told her, grinding Lightning to her knee so hard and beautifully in a way that made Lightning gasp and wince and love it and want more immediately. "I don't care what you say." There were a thousand reasons why they shouldn't, having just stepped into this world, but even seeing their surroundings over Odile's shoulder pushed Lightning's logical rejections away.

"…okay."

Odile smiled delightedly. "That's my girl." Lightning wrapped an arm around Odile's neck and delightfully drowned in her mouth again. Odile dragged her to the ground and had her way. Lightning almost cried when the best orgasm of her life took her away.

She lay panting in the grass with Odile, their sweet scents crisp on the fresh air of the day. Lightning moaned, feeling the best she might've ever felt in all ages. "I love you."

Odile kissed her cheek sweetly, cuddled to Lightning's skirtless-side with a contented grin. "Love you too, Baby." She relaxed, curled, with her sweaty head on Lightning's shoulder and pelt. She took Lightning's hand and moved it over her wonderful, bare breast and held it there. "Mmm."

Lightning still hadn't come around to straight thinking yet, too happy with Odile on this beautiful day. "It's gorgeous, isn't it?"

"Mmm," Odile mumbled again, "I like it here."

"I wonder what the tribes will be like," Lightning murmured. It would be such a contrast, seeing their savagery in the peace of this land. Who would ever want to fight if they lived in a land like this? Man, it was such a place. Lightning breathed it in with Odile's scent, eyes on the clouds as they slowly drifted away…

"Grrrr,"

"No… " Lightning mumbled, arm warm around Odile and clinging. "Stay…"

Odile screamed. Lightning jerked awake to see a horrific creature with a wide jaw of incisors clamped around Odile's leg. With sharp spikes running down its back and jutting protrusions looking ragged, it had a long, snake's tail that ended like a fish's fin. Odile howled and kicked at it in the face. Lightning scrambled to her feet, reaching for her blade just as someone rounded the corner with a shout.

"Thumper, no!"

At Odile's kick to its face and the call from their left, the creature whined and backed down. The woman, a tall, bronzed, beautiful amazon with red-streaked platinum hair rushed towards the beast. Lightning grabbed Odile around the middle and hauled her up easily, covering her breasts with an arm as she sported her weight. Odile looked at her leg, where the sharp teeth had pierced into the skin raggedly, making her bleed. "Thumper, no," the woman repeated again, holding the dog similarly under the belly and chest. "Bad boy." She opened her eyes upon them both, starting with an apology, "I'm s— " that abruptly cut off.

"Oh, shit," her eyes grew wide with fear. She dropped the creature immediately, who scuttled to the side, and knelt before them, eyes lowered to the ground as she bowed in veneration. "Umbra, please. I'm so sorry. Please, he didn't mean anything. He probably smelled you and just wanted to play; he meant no harm, I'm so sorry."

Lightning and Odile exchanged glances. With Odile pressed to her body, Lightning moved some of her long, blonde hair to help cover her front. Odile rolled her eyes. "Who are you?" She demanded in a dominating-type tone. Lightning hugged her closer in, but the woman didn't look up.

"My name is Kale," she repentantly said. "Please, Umbra, have mercy. I can provide leathers or food; I can build for you— anything to make this right. Do you need a medic? I can bandage your wounds and ease the injuries with cream."

"Kale," Lightning repeated.

"Yes, Madame," Kale answered respectfully, swallowed, then clarified, "Media Yun Kale, Madame." Spoken with a different accent, some of the vowels lengthened on her tongue. It sounded quite different than how Lightning spoke.

Odile's nose twitched with the first sniff of something else. "You have bandages, Kale? I would like this to be patched up." Lightning peered at her, but Odile wasn't paying attention.

"Of course, my lady. I… I don't have any on me, but I can run to the village and come right back— "

"A village?" Odile interrupted, adopting into her apparent role fast. "I would like you to take us there, Kale."

"Yes… my lady," Kale lifted her head, then looked away again at their state of undress, "Madams…" she stood nervously. Lightning caught something queer in her peripheral vision. Her eyes dropped down and popped. Sage had warned them of this predicament with females producing with each other, but it did little to stop her shock when she finally saw it tight against her pants like that. "Please excuse my rudeness. Your scents are lustrously overwhelming, as you know, and— "

"Wait," Odile stopped her from turning away. Kale halted immediately, pretty ocean-blue eyes still down and away. Odile took a step towards her out of Lightning's loosened grasp.

"Hey!" Lightning barked abruptly.

"Is that real…" Odile asked, making Kale clear her throat again.

"Yes… Madame, your scent— " Kale drew in a quick breath. Odile's hands were on her bulge.

"Odile!" Lightning snatched at her wrists and pulled them away. Though things seemed different here, back home, touching a man without permission was an executable offense. Lightning didn't like her fingers on it.

"Feel it, Lightning," Odile encouraged, "She's huge."

Kale looked as flustered as Lightning felt, bright red and blushing. She choked, "T… thank you, Madame. You flatter me," then made noises in her throat again. "Would you… would you like to see it, ladies?"

"Yesss,"

"No!"

Lightning and Odile's answers were overlapping. Odile looked at her with incredulous, then pleading eyes when she saw her expression. "Lightning— "

"No," Lightning reasserted, more firmly this time, keeping her grip on Odile's wrists. "Kale, step over there a moment, please."

Kale obeyed without peeping. Lightning tightened her hold, dragging Odile over a step. "What are you doing?" She demanded in a hiss.

"Did you even see her?" Odile asked, incredulous.

"We were warned about this!" Lightning said in a low whisper.

"We were warned about this!" Lightning said in a low whisper. "Your weakness for her is exactly what they try to tempt us with."

Odile snorted. "I don't have a 'weakness' for her. I just wanna see her dick."

A good space away, the Yun started to hum softly.

"Remember what he said?" Lightning reminded, "We're susceptible to these temptresses."

"He said that about the Umbra," Odile pointed out, gazing back at Kale wistfully. "She's a Yun."

"He meant it about everybody!" Lightning gave her a little shake, "He would've deadened our sexual senses if we didn't need them for Ragnarok."

"That would've been a shame."

The Yuns soft hum hitched for a moment away. Lightning glanced at her and lowered her voice again. "We have to be more careful. Neither of us can afford to get pregnant with some other woman."

Odile's eyebrow lifted in amusement. "Were you thinking we should sleep with her, luv?" At Lightning's pained expression, Odile chuckled and kissed her cheek. "Relax, luv. I've got this." She turned and bent to pick up her top. "Kale, darling." Kale straightened at her name from petting the top of Thumper's head, faced the other way from them. "We're getting dressed," Odile informed, making Lightning want to groan. She could see the stiffening in the Yun's shoulders as well. Great. "We'd like you to take us to your village proper to take care of my leg and answer some questions. Can you walk with that thing?"

"Yes." Kale agreed.

Odile cast her a smile. "She's a darling." Lightning proceeded with more caution. When Odile had fully dressed in her leathers again, and Lightning tugged down the bra to be more covering, Odile cast her eyes, then said, "You know, Kale, my leg's hurting a bit. Are you strong enough to carry a woman?"

Lightning looked at her incredulously.

"I am, Madame."

"Would you be a dear and— oup!" Odile blurted in surprise. "My angry lover beat you to it."

Lightning froze. Kale nodded slightly with a little turn to address them. "My apologies for imposing on your relationship, Madame. I meant no offense in letting you see me this way."

Odile smiled grandly in Lightning's arm. "It is not a problem, Kale. My darling here gets too sensitive." Lightning glared. Odile wound her arms around Lightning's neck and kissed her again, which only settled her a little.

"Lead the way!"

Kale nodded and started off, making sure they were behind her. Lightning muttered with Odile in her grasp. "Tone it down."

"Psh," Odile blew off, "Don't spoil the fun. Kale?"

"...Yes, Lady?"

"You're waddling like a duck, poor thing!" Lightning was about to silence her again, but then Odile asked a viable question of her curiosity as well. "Does our scent truly hurt you so much?"

"…I wouldn't say hurt, your ladyship."

"What would you say?"

"It's… it's not bad, my lady. You smell… pleasant. Blissful. I hear it's different for different Yuns, the intoxicating smells we inhale. Is that true, lady? Is it magically enhanced?"

"I'll leave that for you to decide." Odile answered slyly, evasive. Kale nodded, the answer seemingly acceptable.

"What can you tell us of your village?" Lightning asked, steering the conversation in case Odile wished to ask after her penis again.

"Have you never been to Vallis Media, my lady?"

"We have not."

"We are a small little village," Kale explained, "Set back against the cliffs, just a little pocket of existence hidden away. It is nothing as grand as your city in the Steppe, but we are comfortable out here next to nature and the waterfalls. We don't have a trading outpost, so visitors are not altogether common unless for visiting's sake, but…" Kale took another bend in a fork between the cliffs. "We are happy there, mostly undisturbed… They'll be rather alarmed to see Umbra there."

"Our city," Odile hummed, "Yes… Your little town sounds pleasant, Kale."

Kale nodded. They traveled a little more ways before a three fork split the mountains again. Kale stopped here and turned around to them, eyes still on the ground. "My ladies… I know I have no place to ask this, and I mean not to offend any bit of your bonding, but…"

"Yesss?" Odile asked eagerly, though Lightning didn't like the preface of the question. Or the direction of Odile's gaze on her.

"If you intend compensation or punishment for what my Thumper did, sexual compensation…" Lightning opened her mouth to say they didn't, but Odile lifted a hand to push back up her jaw before she could. "Please don't bring my sisters into it," Kale finally asked and went on quickly, "I am more than happy to service the Umbra in any way that is requested of me, and I will come to either, or both of your bedrooms on instant demand. I would provide as many children as you like, or be there for any type of desire you wish to fulfill. I only wish to service you however I can, but if my sisters were summoned to service Ragnarok..." Lightning and Odile's eyes jumped to attention on the poor Yun's downturned face. "It would rip my family apart. Please. I'm willing to do anything if you don't take my offense out on them."

"Ragnarok…" Odile looked at Lightning in a way she knew to let her speak, "Tell me, Kale. How many sisters do you have?"

"Fourteen, Madame," Kale informed with her head still down. Lightning caught her eye again with an eyebrow.

"And how many of these sisters would be capable of… reproducing with Ragnarok?" Lightning's fingers tightened into her skin, but it was too late to take it back. Kale flinched a little bit.

"Ten of us are full blooded Yuns, Madame. Four are from mothers of other clans, and seven are capable... of reproducing with Ragnarok. Only three of us are equipped to provide children to others, if demanded." She bit her lip and added, "And I have the most children of all my sisters, Madame."

"Is it unusual that none of you have been called on for Ragnarok before?" Lightning asked with interest. This was exactly what they were here for, provided in a subservient Yun.

"I… don't know, my lady," Kale answered truthfully; Lightning could see it in her face. "I… I had thought the sharing of Ragnarok with Yuns was a rare occurrence. Am I wrong?"

"Of course not," Odile quickly filled in, inferring from her question that this was something they should know already. "We would not share Ragnarok so freely."

Lightning stiffened again, but Kale simply nodded in agreement. "I had thought not, my ladies."

So, Umbra control it. Lightning thought, happy to hear it. If Umbra controlled who had and didn't have Ragnarok, it may be easier for them yet to take the beast and impregnate themselves with it. They could simply pass as these commanding Umbras in their home in the Steppe, if that's where Ragnarok was held, and figure out when they could have their turn with it.

Although, this similarly meant that other Umbra and apparently Yuns had had Ragnarok as well. Lightning had to report this. "Kale," she firmly said, drawing the Yun's attention. "Return to your village from here and get your bandages. Bring back whatever steed you might spare for us and saddle it; we wish you no ill intention to startle your village members."

"Really?" Kale blurted in surprise, then worked to cover, "I mean, okay. Okay. I'll be right back— just wait right here and I'll bring you everything. Thank you, Madams. Thank you so much for this." She was already taking off for it, bowing back along the way every few steps until she turned and took off running with her pup.

"What'd you do that for?" Odile whined.

"Shh," Lightning quieted, then looked up to the sky, willing her mind to reach. "Sage?"

"You know how stupid you look doing that?"

_Shh, my children, _Sage's voice echoed in her, and Odile's by the look of it, heads. _Be cautious in speaking my name; this land has ears that can hear every whisper. Safer yet that you not call me by name._

"Okay," Lightning said, "Okay, you're right, maje… sir. Have you been here, listening to this?"

_My reach does not extend so far, my child. I can only communicate with you in this way._

"Okay," Lightning said again, "We found out some things. Ragnarok _is _alive. And the Umbra are already using it. On Umbra and Yuns, at least. We're going to the Steppe to the hometown of the Umbra to search for it. Are we going the right way?"

_North, my children. North is where the Ragnarok stays._

Lightning nodded. They'd find out if their hometown in the Steppe was North, which she suspected it was, then head on along that way. "That's it… sir. We just wanted to keep you updated."

_Thank you, my darlings. May my blessings come your way…_

When she felt the little link in her brain die out, Odile brought up loudly. "You know how crazy we look, talking to the wind?"

Lightning shook her head with a sigh, "You're a bit of a brat, you know."

Odile grinned, olive eyes lit up in the sun. "I'm your brat." She pulled back up Lightning's neck and kissed her, long and lovingly in a slow, carefully lasting makeout she couldn't deny. An uncomfortable grunt brought Lightning away, seeing Kale there with an oversized yellow chicken and a very tight pair of pants. She gave Odile an annoyed look, who just smiled it away. "Why, thank you, Kale."

"I've brought cream and bandages," Kale offered meekly, pointing very much so prominently. "Would you like me to… or…"

"My lover's head might implode if you do," Odile chuckled, "Just bring them here, Sweetie." Odile reached out a hand. Kale took a few steps to hand over the materials, then backed away. "Thank you," Odile smiled up innocently to Lightning's unamused expression, "And Kale?"

"Yes, my lady?"

"We may call on you yet." Odile winked.

"Of course, my lady," Kale agreed with a bow, "Your graciousness knows no bounds. I will be here and able to service any time you need."

"Thank you, Kale." Lightning cut in. "From here, our city is directly North?"

"Mostly, yes," Kale nodded and directed, "You'll have to loop back around our last bend, take the middle path, and then the left. That'll bring you straight into the southern lip into the Steppe."

"Thank you, Kale." Lightning said again. "You may go."

"Thank you, Madams," Kale repeated once more, "You are truly gracious. Thank you." Wincing, probably at the strength of her boner as Odile blew a kiss, the Yun disappeared for good this time.

"Well, wasn't she a sweet, little thing?" Odile cooed, "With her shy manner and cute little waddling, packaging a full-size sausage between those limber little legs. Wouldn't you just kill to squeeeeze her? Maybe we should call her ba— hey!" Odile plopped to the ground with a thump. "I'm injured here!"

Lightning rolled her eyes as she reached for the big bird who stood surprisingly tamed in the one place. "Such a brat."


	5. Chapter 5

**XXX**

The curious pet creature and the Yun proved the least of their adventures today, though Odile would claim her favorite, as she and Lightning rode upon the bareback of the giant bird, speeding to their new destination. They crossed grasslands and little streams, a river and a gushing fall of water from a cliff, creatures they'd have never heard of or even dreamt to see. The smells and the air of Gran Pulse was overwhelmingly sweet and fresh, not musky or smelly like sweaty men in the least. Everywhere they turned, something new caught their eye, and they fell off the giant bird quite a few times just for the wonder of the land around them, catching them off guard.

Lightning sat in front of her, gripping the great bird's feathers, and Odile sat behind with her arms around Lightning. Everything was beautiful and so magical in this place. They saw more beasts like the one Kale had had, that and more like gooey conglomerates that moved with faces, giant birds that soared through the sky, even giant, turtle-like mammals who's foot alone could've crushed a house without a blink. The bird seemed exceptionally good at avoiding getting too close too. With good instincts on their animal and a relatively set path Northern, Odile and Lightning wasted away half the day like nothing in traveling across the Steppe. They probably could've managed in half the time with a more direct route on the animal, but there so much to see around them, neither of them minded taking the animal a little slower as they went.

Odile, particularly, favored this with Lightning. With an arm around her woman's middle and her head held high in admiring, there was nothing more she wanted to do than to have sex with Lightning. They couldn't now, not yet, in the open like this with fiends all around in the grasslands, but soon, Odile was going to take her again when she could. The place was too majestic for her to leave it without making the memories she'd wanted, and if people were anything like that Yun had been, she was going to enjoy this immensely.

While they couldn't exactly have sex, it didn't mean Odile couldn't tease. Resting her head on Lightning's shoulder, she whispered into her woman's ear silkily. "I'm so wet," Lightning glanced at her from the bottoms of her pretty blues, weary. Odile stroked her exposed belly and kissed her exposed neck. "Wet and clenching for you." She moved up to the underside of Lighning's chin. "Are you wet, luv?"

Lightning shifted further forward. "You're going to startle the bird."

Odile scooted up right behind her, pinning Lightning right near the front of its neck and held tighter. She licked up Lightning's neck. "I'm filthy," Odile stroked that fine belly as she whispered in Lightning's ear, "Sticky," her hand took a downward turn into the lip of Lightning's skirt and panties to those delightful folds. Lightning inhaled and flattened against her front.

"Odile— "

"Wet," Odile purred like a hymn, fingering Lightning's button and pressuring in a way that made Lightning gasp. "Hold on," Odile warned, delighted that she'd been allowed to get this far, and ready to create a new memory yet. She bit into Lightning's neck and lavished it with her tongue.

"Oh— Odile," Lightning moaned, breath uneven already. Odile pinched her, which made her gasp. "We're gonna fall off," Lightning breathed in a second gasp.

"Not if you hold on," Odile purred, roughing her with a thumb. Lightning leaned a little forward again, tightening her grip on the bird. Odile followed, clinging tight around the beast with her legs. Lightning's eyes fluttered with a little moan.

"Odiiile," she groaned, clenching delightfully as Odile gnawed at her neck. "You're gonna leave a mark."

It was something they were not permitted, something only men were allowed, especially not on other women, and something she'd broken before on only one special occasion for Lightning. She had taken public muzzling in the stocks while men took turns up her ass for it. Lightning hadn't seen, but even bloodied, sore, and with splinters on her worn knees from the lower board of the stocks, Odile had smiled her way when she'd passed by with it, knowing the imprint of her teeth on Lightning's thigh. "You bet I am."

Lightning whimpered, probably remembering it, but Odile caught her in a gasp by squeezing. With an arm diagonally up her chest for stability, Odile fingered her cheek and re-angled her chin so she could kiss and replace her woman's memory with a fresh, loving kiss. Lightning swayed precariously and Odile had to bend down with her, closer to grip the reigns herself with an arm. Lightning whimpered again, uttering her name.

"Shh," Odile cautioned, "I'll take you away." She slipped in a finger. Lightning gasped, already soaked, which pleased Odile immensely. She wet her fingers with Lightning's juices and dragged them back up to her button, which she ground. "I love you."

Lightning's breath hitched with her release as heat soaked her panties. Odile kept her low to the trotting bird so she wouldn't fall off with her orgasm. She kissed Lightning's cheek tenderly, loving her quaking body.

Lightning mewled softly in being held, eyes tightly shut to keep from getting dizzy as the trot bounced her lightly atop the leather-saddled steed. "So much…" Lightning was mumbling, "So much…" Odile squeezed. Lightning drew in great breaths as they were carried. Finally, when she caught enough breath to, she breathed. "How does it look?"

"Breathtaking."

Lightning smiled meekly as Odile pulled back, firm grin caught in place. Then a city caught her eye, and Odile was in Lightning's place with inability to breathe. "Lightning, look."

It had come upon them in their distraction when she'd been playing fun with Lightning, but now that the city was drawing near before them, it took Odile's breath away, even from a little distance as they yet drew near.

Giant, monstrous pillars of smooth, white marble rising hundreds half-circled around a corner pocket in the far back mountainous wall, stretching thousands of feet around in a giant arching entry. A wide, flawless marble platform above stretched those thousands of feet in a perfect half-circle atop the pillars with a beautiful, stone railing around the outer ledge of the platform. Grass suddenly clicked as it became stone under their feet, a wide, stretching stone entryway that opened up from every area under the pillars and dove straight into the side of the cliff. Odile pulled up their steed to a half as both girls peered in under the pillars, where little pockets of light seeped, holes carved into the stone above for that express purpose of it. There was something glowing inside too, illuminating the pillars and the far- far walls of stone. Everything had become grandiose and extreme. It was like they were walking into another world so suddenly.

Odile nudged Lightning who stared up in equal awe. How such a place could be, neither of them had any guesses to it. They just looked up, necks cranked, and stared up the pillars to the dazzling, constructed scene. "Home of the Gods," Lightning whispered quietly, and Odile had to agree. Nothing else could've made something like this into the mountain as the stone arched around to be.

Odile nudged Lightning who stared up in equal awe. How such a place could be, neither of them had any guesses to it. They just looked up, necks cranked, and stared up the pillars to the dazzling, constructed scene. "Home of the Umbra," Lightning whispered quietly, and Odile had to agree. Nothing else could've made something like this into the mountain as the stone arched around to be.

"Come on," Lightning whispered quietly, slipping off the bridled bird, "They may not use steeds like this." Odile slid off as well and grabbed their packs of stores that had brought. Lightning's sheathed gunblade thumped to the ground, too loosened by Odile's play. She picked it up quickly and re-strung the weapon to her side, tightening her skirt as well again. Lightning fidgeted uncomfortably.

"Something wrong?" Odile asked as she dismissed their saddled bird back to the wild again. "Got a bad feeling?"

"No, it's nothing."

"What?" Odile pushed. "You nervous?" Lightning glanced at her, twitchingly.

"…I'm all wet."

"Oh, please." Odile rolled her eyes, "You've been worse than that and carried on just fine."

"But what if they smell me?" Lightning asked, concernedly. "You heard what S— he said about Umbra lusting for each other. It won't help if they already smell sex on me."

"You want me to lick it up, Sweetie?"

"Odile," Lightning reprimanded, truly troubled about this thing.

"You're worrying too much," Odile said, moving to take Lightning's arm. "That Yun seemed to have sensitive smell, and she didn't even peg us as half-Cocoon. Besides, being with a woman is accepted here, and you already have me. Even if other Umbra 'fall into lust' for you, you're taken with me."

"You don't know that they respect rules like that," Lightning said queasily, "The clans are said to do each other in the streets. You heard that Yun, she had fourteen sisters with different moms for some of them."

"I doubt Umbra rape each other," Odile pointed out logically, "Sage said their sexual beasts for each other, so it all sounds willing, and we're protected from that 'lusting,'" Odile tugged her arm. "Come on, don't be nervous. Nothing bad's going to happen, Lightning. We'll find Ragnarok, do it, and leave, all right?" Odile understood her hesitation as she nudged Lightning into following. Her poor lover never had gotten over the 'sins' of their mother in taking a Cocoon man. Odile had no such lasting problems with it. If she understood it correctly, the Umbra were powerful next to Gods as well. If they wished a Cocoon man for whatever reason, though Odile couldn't understand that that all if their Yuns were so fully equipped, then they would have him. Little a person could do to deny a God anyway.

Lightning hadn't reached such peace with their fathers' raping, which Odile found sort of funny. They used to take it every day like that, why shouldn't a man be put against his will for once? It wasn't even that invasive. Besides, if this was the kind of treatment they received in this place, reverenced like by that Yun, it was a damn shame they hadn't ended up in this world instead. Odile wouldn't have minded a little less work, a little more reverencing.

Lightning glanced around their surroundings as they pulled deeper into the marble overhang. Lights of little crystal pieces glowed from the pillars and the long, back wall of the mountain. Odile wanted to touch them, but Lightning was nervous already without letting her curiosity get the best of her, so she refrained. Instead, they traveled back the long platform, past the outer, giant pillars and into the muted areas, light a little dimmer here, provided only by the crystals and holes. They walked to the back of the mountain where twin staircases had been carved into the rock in a little ovalish-shape. A third led somewhere off to the path directly left, and a final one to the right. Odile chose one of the middle two, assuming this would take them into the heart of the city.

They climbed the staircase carved into the rock, fascinated with its make. Such a place, even as far as they'd seen, would've taken decades, if not longer to make. Especially with the fine-craft dusting of these stairs. Each was even, level, and smooth, feeling the same size as the last, and they were carved straight into the mountain. Odile couldn't predict how long such a task would take.

She and Lightning made their way up, and up, and up, and up, many stairs that exhausted until, after ages, they reached the top, both a little winded until they drew up to the top step and finally looked up again.

If the pillared platform downstairs took their breath away, this new sight made them faint. Odile looked around her in supreme wonder. Behind them, the large, railed platform stood overlooking the edge. Streams flowed between the rocks with lush grown vegetation overhanging the stones. To her far left, another gush of water tumbled over the edge of another fall that toppled it far below. The water flowed in a river that'd broken off into streams and fountains carved of stone, obsidian, and sometimes gemmed. With a great many carved statues of tall, larger-than-life women at eight some feet. The ground, lined with stone and a great, wide one that backed as far as Odile could see, had villas like mansions lining the way, most with great pillars as well, some built right out of the mountainside. It was the most illustrious, overwhelming sea of perfection Odile had ever seen. Every which way, nature merged with their dwellings in the most beautiful, marble-constructed pathway. She'd never laid witness to this kind of beauty in her life, and never imagined it could exist. Odile felt dizzy for all things in this flawless place.

That didn't count the people, of which were very few. Odile could only see five total present, though this place must have bustling hordes at other times of the day. Perhaps the light drizzle had turned them away, but from what she could see, Odile was rendered speechless right away.

Tall, impossibly tall women tended away at things. One, a brunette beauty with a matching gown, bent over a high-raised hanging plant that must've stood at at least eight feet. Her legs went on for miles and she stood with such poise, you could tell she was royalty. Another, with deep red hair and matching robes as well stood at the railing. And the least, a white-haired woman sat luxuriously at a fountain draped in greenery overhang and dozens of stones, playing with two children sweetly. She was wearing white too, in the same shade as her hair, as seemed to be a custom here among these people.

"Girls," Someone called through the rain. Heels clicked on stone. Odile and Lightning whirled to see they'd been spotted already. The deeply red-colored one approached from behind them on the balcony. Hair so dark it color, it was almost maroon or rosewood in shade, like a deep, silky wine that matched her whole body and slender frame. She stalked to them with wide strides, every step covering at least two normal feet. With the poise of royalty, she came upon them, and Odile's eyes grew wide.

Dozens of golden, studded rings lined her body, and as Odile stared at them for a greater and longer time, she realized that dark, magenty color was actually woven through the rings that protruded from her body, lining all the way from her back and collar, down the midst of her generous chest, even studded down her legs. And when Odile raised her head to stare at a flawless, high-cheeked, umarred face, she realized her hair bled into the full-body suit. No, not bled into, it _was _the full body suit, hair so long, it was woven in through the rings that studded her body. Odile gawked when she realized it and heard a noise like a choke from Lightning too. It rendered them completely stupid as the woman came upon them.

"Tsk. You girls aren't supposed to be here." the woman spoke in a dignified, elegant manner, words so straight vowels evenly chopped in respectable, perfect fashion. She sounded somewhat like Sage had, self-righteous and utterly clipped, "Have you lost your tribes, little ones?"

Odile didn't know what to say. Obviously, their ruse was blown, for they looked nothing like these beautiful goddesses, and were trespassing in these lands. The other woman by the flowers started coming to them too, and the one with the children was looking their way. Beside her, Lightning had frozen in fear, or was likely mentally compiling her hatred of them, but either way, she wouldn't speak.

Odile had to concoct something fast. "Umbra," she greeted, not as boldly as before, but thankfully, her voice didn't shake. "Pleasant day, yes?" She _strongly _yanked Lightning's arm in attempt to walk away and hide behind one of those pretty villas, but the Umbra behind them just chuckled. Odile had to cap a startled scream as her feet were lifted from the ground. At six foot three, she wasn't short, but the woman, seemingly at least two feet taller or a little less, plucked her straight off the ground easily, like she were a feather, and suspended her there.

"You are a curious little kitten to wander up all this way."

Lightning opened her mouth to speak, but a hand on her shoulder from the brunette Umbra silenced whatever she'd been about to say. "What do we have here, dears?"

Odile hovered three feet in the air as the woman held her up speculatively; she wanted to kick, but the fear on Lightning's face made her think better of it. "A couple of the tribespeople have lost their way." The Umbra holding her turned Odile to face her way, still hovered above the ground. "Come darling, there's no need to be afraid. What's your name?"

"…Odile," Odile said to her, the grip like diamond against her squirms. She looked at her lover, caught between her hatred and fear. She'd have to stop Lightning from doing something stupid if her love lashed out. "And that's Lightning."

"Odile and Lightning," the Umbra nodded speculatively. "Those sound like Yun names. Are you a mixed-bred Yun, darling?"

Lightning wouldn't have liked it if she saw the idea in her head, but Odile knew she was smart enough to go along with it once it was said. "No, we're Umbra. Put me down."

"Oh, you're Umbra?" the woman chuckled delightedly, "Well, in that case," she dropped Odile the few feet to the ground to regain her feet.

"It's true," Odile declared firmly, "Twenty-two years ago, two different Umbra took two Cocoon men to impregnate themselves with. They bore the baby, but the men stole us away." As she'd hoped, Lightning remained quiet, but she watched her with wide eyes, silently begging caution. "We've been living in Cocoon for years, and just recently escaped. We know our Moms are Umbra, so we came here looking for you."

The Umbra who'd been touching Lightning now stared with serious eyes, glanced at her friend, who dropped to her knees and gaped. "Adelaide?" Lifting a hand to Odile's hairline, she looked between her and Lightning, trying to identify one of them from being babes.

"Jihl," someone else barely breathed, then clicking footsteps scuttled across the stone to them. She grabbed Lightning's arm and looked into her face to determine something. She couldn't seem to find it, but touched Lightning's cheek, who flinched. "Are you…" the woman seemed to have trouble breathing, her chest was heaving so much. She looked to Odile as well, searching both their faces desperately. "Jihl?"

Odile shook her head, "We don't know any other names." But when she said it, she caught the white-haired woman's eye, who stopped breathing.

"Those eyes…"

"No, she's Adelaide!" The other Umbra claimed, pulling Odile into her arms with surprising strength.

"Wait," the brunette Umbra protested this, "We don't even know if they're Umbra." She snapped her fingers. Odile grew immediately dizzy as something warped around her and dragged her in. She staggered and stumbled from the dark red-haired one's grip, who stared at her with wide eyes. Odile looked to Lightning, who was in the same condition. Then she noticed something else, something amazing.

The rain had stopped. No, not stopped, frozen in midair. Odile stared at it with wide eyes and touched a drop that broke to pieces at wet her hand and finger in all she touched. She saw the others, saw them moving in a tantalizing slow progression, so slow it appeared still. Odile watched it with a queasy, nauseated sense, stomach churning as the slow drop hypnotized her.

Fingers snapped again and Odile was vomiting, world rushing back in such a speedy fashion, it overtook her nausea and tossed her lunch she'd had aboard the big birdy with Lightning.

"Jihl!"

"Adelaide!"

Voices echoed at once, hands grabbing her shoulders and hair to keep her upright and breathing. Her vision swam. She tried to catch hold of a glimpse of Lightning, but her upheaving stomach prevented her from even turning her head for how it swayed. She tried to fight the blackness, but even she could feel that slipping away, unable to take in enough air to breathe. Odile choked and, when pained enough where it hurt to think, she released to the darkness and spiraled into it freely.


	6. Chapter 6

Odile opened her eyes to see the tall, slick-haired, cream-colored woman who'd been by the pond. At first sight of the woman, she felt a cool press to her head from a cloth the woman dabbed her with, then wiped away. "My dear," Something mighty took her hand. Odile blinked a few times before everything registered all the way.

"Where's Lightning?" Odile demanded, sitting up frantically before she could recognize everything. The woman put a strong hand to her shoulder, the other still gripping her hand.

"Child, please," the Umbra tried to settle evenly.

"Where is she?" Odile shouted, quickly panicking until her head flipped around the room and found her lying on the bed beside her, comfortably laid. Odile pulled free of her grasp and went to Lightning. "Is she okay?" Odile asked, hand going to Lightning's head to feel her temperature.

"She's going to be fine," the woman assured softly from behind her. Odile took one of her hands, then looked around the spacious room that seemed made for a king. The bed alone took a good fifth of the room itself, about nine feet long and six across, it'd obviously been made for the Umbra here. Small lamps with those crystals Odile had earlier seen lit up the dim room, which was pleasantly furnished in lush hues of deep chestnut. From the fireplace set in the wall on the left side of the bed, there opened a door into another room on that same wall a little ways down. Another door on the southern wall led somewhere else entirely. Furnished with rich, carved wooden dressers and a little stand with a wide closet on the opposite wall, it was the homeliest room Odile had ever seen, and so spacious.

"Would you like a glass of water?" The Umbra asked gently, "Or are you hungry or anything?"

Now that she mentioned it, Odile became aware of how foul-tasting the inside of her mouth was. Stomach still a little too queasy yet, she answered, "Water would be nice." Jeanne nodded and picked up an empty glass from the nightstand. Going into the fireplace's-side door of the room, the sound of running water registered from a sink. She came back in and handed the glass to Odile, who rather liked being waited on and accepted it with a thanks.

After taking a long drink and sloshing it about her mouth, she turned her wandering eyes back on the Umbra in the room with them. Obviously, they'd been brought here after she, and apparently Lightning, had passed out. Odile remembered the details she'd given them. "Where are we?" She finally asked, "What happened?"

"You are in my home," the woman answered peaceably, not trying to advance on her, "My name is Jeanne… Odile, if I remember?" Odile nodded, "We're still in the midst of figuring out what has happened. You gave us quite a shock when you came in."

"We gave you a shock?" Odile asked, on the offense to figure out everything she could.

"I'm sorry about what happened," Jeanne apologized, "Athena wasn't thinking when she tried to prove your Umbra blood."

"What was that?" Odile pressed, on her roll for information.

"Athena thought to prove you weren't of Umbra blood," Jeanne said again, "So, she summoned Witch-Time. It's a time-slowed dimension that slows everything to a crawl. Only Umbra can enter it, and when one Umbra summons it, all of us in the area are dragged in. That's where the nausea came from— for Umbra who are not accustom or grown into Witch-Time yet, it's very disorienting."

Odile followed that as best she could. "So it's magic?"

"Yes."

"Magic that we participated in?"

"It drew you in," Jeanne confirmed, "So, we know you are of our blood."

"You believe us, then?"

"Yes," Jeanne confirmed again, "We know you were telling the truth of your heritage. What you believe to be the truth of it, anyway."

"What we believe?" Odile asked. Jeanne nodded in aside to Lightning.

"We should wait for your friend to wake before we begin discussing this."

"She's not my friend, she's my lover." Odile asserted boldly so they knew better than to separate them.

Jeanne's features reflected immense surprise. "They allowed that?" she asked, seemingly shocked. "In Cocoon?"

Oops, Odile mentally boo-booed and corrected it again. "Not precisely…"

Jeanne's features softened in understanding. "I would like to speak with you about Cocoon… Odile. When Lightning wakes up. If you two are comfortable to talk about it with me."

"Okay," Odile shrugged.

"Jeanne," Both their heads turned to the doorway on the long side of the room where a woman with her hair bumped up in the back with strands flowing down into her clothes stood. "Nikon has gathered everyone, and Thessala is still in a state. She's inconsolable, and the others are in disbelief. Roma and Cybele have declared an immediate hearing."

Jeanne seemed greatly distressed.

"Is this about us?" Odile asked bluntly, "Because I wouldn't mind going to a hearing."

"Child, no," Jeanne seemed at a greater distress with that, "There is no need. I do not wish to drag you through our muddling."

"This is about which of you are my mom, and Lightning's, right?" Odile deducted from what had passed as of yet, "You called me Jihl earlier," she directly addressed Jeanne, though both the Umbra flinched evenly. "Does that mean you're one of the candidates for being my mom?"

Both Jeanne and the other one looked at each other in pain. Odile detected shared agony there.

"Are you both my mothers?" Odile asked, figuring these two a couple that could've produced her off, like that Yun.

"We don't know yet," Jeanne confessed quietly. Odile remembered when she'd looked into her eyes.

"But you suspect it," Odile pointed out. This 'meeting' ground sounded like an excellent place to gather information they needed with all these Umbras around, and Odile wasn't going to let that pass them by. "Let us come to the meeting," she insisted, "I want know my mother, and I'm sure Lightning does too. We're well enough to come." The point slightly defeated by the fact that Lightning was still unconscious, Odile pressured backwards on her belly until she choked and groaned.

"Lightning!" Odile attended to, touching her face with her free hand. She rubbed back into her hairline soothingly. "Wake up, Sweetie. We have a meeting to attend."

"Huh?" Lightning asked foggily.

"Odile…" Jeanne tried to caution away, "It's not going to be a pleasant thing. After escaping, you should rest."

"We just did that," Odile pointed out, rousing Lightning right up. "We feel well enough to go to the meeting, Jeanne. Really. We should be there, being that it's about us. Here, Lightning, sip this." Odile pushed the cup into her fumbling fingers.

"Meeting?" Lightning asked dazedly.

"Don't worry, luv," Odile stroked back her hair lovingly from her face. "We're safe." Odile turned her head and announced, "We're ready for the meeting, Jeanne."

Against Jeanne's prescribed wishes, Odile and Lightning tagged along with Jeanne and Cereza, the black haired one, to the council meeting. They exited through the biggest, most spacious and beautifully furnished house Odile had ever seen. From pillars to the loft outside her door that hung over a larger, marble walled living space, down white-smoothed stairs and through a kitchen like none she'd seen with clean countertops and a fresh scent, they made their way out the grand foyer in the front and walked through a meadow-like paradise to the grand meeting hall, another big construction of stone. They entered through two greatly risen pillars, Odile wondering how such a place could've ever been built like this.

They entered into a vast, temple-like room. Lofted balconies lined the walls left and right. People lined those balconies, eight on the left, seven on the right, with two familiar faces she'd seen outside. All of them were Umbra, and all had throne-like chairs lining the platforms a little ways behind the stone rail, though few of them sat. Only one of the sixteen balcony seats sat absent, without an Umbra present for it.Voices hushed when Jeanne and Cereza entered the vast room. Jeanne both ignored the stairs leading up to either balcony and the two giant thrones at the back of the hall. Cereza put her hands on the back of Odile's shoulders, leading her back that way near the thrones. Odile could see Lightning scanning across all the Umbra, likely looking for one she might recognize with similar features or the pink coloring of her hair. None of them had it; all the Umbra present wore their hair of muted shades; white, black, deep auburns, and chestnut, all of varying, subdued shades. Jeanne had the closest of blonde colorings, her white hair a slightly lightened stage of cream.

Moving to the wide, darker stone flooring in the middle, Jeanne boomingly addressed. "Sisters! We gather here today on the most startling of occasions," Everyone silenced in an instant at the address, the whispers going out like a light had gone out. "Two of our daughters, thought long torn from our worlds, have returned home to us today. From Cocoon!"

Whispers broke out at that. One of them whimpered too loudly, saying, "Adelaide," and Odile found the wine-colored one leaning at the balcony edge, tears in her eyes as she longed for Odile. Somebody, a chestnut-colored woman with draped hair on the left side, said.

"These saplings are the fruits of our limbs, Jeanne?"

"It has been confirmed, Nephelai." Jeanne boomed her answer, gesturing to the deeper-hued brunette on the other side above them. "When Athena summoned our powers, they were drawn into the space between time alongside us. They are of the blood, and know the year they were taken. Stolen from us. Sisters, we have been deceived by the world harbored of men." More whispers arose as she said this, the Umbra speaking uneasily amongst themselves.

"Are they the only two that have returned?" One of the others, a lust-colored woman in the first chair on the left of the throne demanded. "What of the others? Are they alive, stranded in Cocoon as well."

Jeanne cast the woman a quick, dark gaze. "We don't know, Roma. I might have had the chance to ask if I hadn't been immediately summoned for a meeting."

"The girls are right there, are they not?" Roma pointed out grandly, "Let us ask!"

"No," Jeanne cut off sharply, real quick, "They are newly escaped from Cocoon. I will not have this council grilling our daughters for answers in these chambers when they are so freshly free. That is something I will do in private with them."

"Why should it be in private?" Roma challenged, "We should all hear what they have to say!"

"Adelaide," that same, dark-shaded red cried again to Odile. "It's me, Ariadne. Don't you remember me, Sweetie? Please, speak to me."

"That has not been proven!" A starkly-white haired woman shouted at the edge of the opposite banister, "Control yourself, Araidne! She could just as easily be mine, or Persephone's!"

"Or Cereza and Jeanne's," Roma seconded, even-toned without the white one's rage.

"Exactly!" the woman went on, blazing with burning eyes. "Jeanne cannot be the one to speak with them! Her opinion is weighted! I vote Roma, as second to the Elders, questions them, and reveals to us the truth of these things!"

"You would doubt our Elder's word?" Athena challenged openly.

"Easy to speak of doubt when your daughter was not vaporized, Athena!"

"Cybele! You do not make light of our mutually-shared misery!" a dark-haired one shouted back, the gathering quickly erupting into feats of shouting, barely masking Ariadne's pain and whimpering.

Cereza sighed. When Odile glanced her way, she patted the second throne, closer to her ear over the growing cacophony. "You might as well have a seat, darling. This happens quite frequently." Odile smiled at her, amused at Cereza's nonchalance as the rabble grew. It was kind of nice to be fought over like this, her sympathy for Araidne aside.

Several shots rang out in the air suddenly and pinged. "Sisters!" Jeanne's voice was angry. Odile looked to Cereza to see if this was alarming, who shook her head.

"Jeanne does this."

"Are you to sit here squabbling before this great blessing? It is a gift to all of us to see our daughters return! We will not spend it fighting like children!"

"Has she said something to you, Jeanne?" A new umbra from the back, dark copper hair, like burgundy asked. "That you might speak so confidently to us?"

"As I said," Jeanne replied with a hint of annoyance, "I have not sat down with the girls of yet either, and so don't know anything."

Poor women. It kept coming around to that with this squabble over claiming them. Well, Odile wasn't here for just nothing. "I could speak," Odile volunteered, stepping away from the thrones towards the platform.

Cereza stood up suddenly, alarmed. Jeanne looked at her with big, half-frightened eyes like she was crazy, and Lightning audibly choked. The rest of the Umbra silenced instantly.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Jeanne started to say, obvious concern and hesitation in her whole face. Odile was half surprised she didn't just grab her, for how she looked.

"I don't mind," Odile reinforced more strongly, "If it'll help you figure out who my mothers are, all for the better, right? Besides, I don't have anything to hide about what happened to us, so why not?"

Jeanne looked like she was experiencing a mini-heart attack, but Roma boomed in quickly. "Let the girl speak, if she is not afraid!"

Lightning stared at her, jaw dropped. Odile smiled and went to the center next to Jeanne, who touched her shoulder gently. "You don't have to do this," Jeanne insisted quietly.

"I'm not afraid," Odile replied, knowing none of the women here would hurt her. They just wanted to know what happened as Odile knew it, so she would tell and learn their ideas of things. Odile would learn of her mother or mothers, and those sad ones here might be put at peace. Besides, it was good for Lightning to be confronted with it this way. If they really never had a Cocoon father at all, Odile would have to persuade her out of her pursuit for revenge to stay.

"What is your name, fair child?" Athena from them asked.

"My name is Odile, and that's Lightning," she gestured, "If we had different names at some point, we can't remember them. We've lived in Cocoon for as long as I can remember, and the men say escaped there with our dying fathers right after we were born."

This caused a loud murmur to erupt everywhere, and a shout from Cybele in protesting rage. "That's ridiculous! We would never procreate with the likes of men! Their mortal bodies are not even capable of such a thing!"

"And your people can?" Lightning challenged, obviously unable to contain herself from it. Odile cast her a _tsk_that she totally missed.

"Not our people," Athena answered for her, "Only the Yuns, touched and changed by a plague of the Sages, can procreate with us for offspring. Even then, it takes many times for us to impregnate with their seed."

Cybele answered back evenly, almost snide, "Did you truly think you'd been born from men, darlings?"

Odile found her amusing. But on task, wary of Lightning's temper and wavering agreeability about her speaking these things, she safely asked for her. "What's a Sage?"

Some of the Umbra exchanged glances and murmured. Jeanne put a hand on her shoulder gently. "Have they never taught you history, dear?"

"Oh," Odile filled in casually, "We were forbidden things like that. No use teaching a woman history when we had other things to be learning, they said."

"Other things?" one of the Umbra above asked.

"You know," Odile shared, "Baby-making things."

"Baby…" some of them whispered in horror.

"Adelaide!" Ariadne was behind her faster than Odile could check to see. With her arms winding around her tightly, she hugged Odile to her body, which caused a bigger stir yet. "I'm sorry," Ariadne cried to her, "I'm sorry I never looked for you, baby. I didn't know…"

"Ariadne," Jeanne said after a moment, hand dropping onto the woman's shoulder.

"I've got this, Jeanne," a different Umbra said, long mahogany ponytail falling down to wrap her body. Jeanne looked up at the woman, eyes softened, then stepped back. Odile hadn't seen her appear down either. "Ariadne," she summoned back with a hand on the woman's arm.

"Thalia, please," Ariadne wept so brokenly.

"Let her speak," Thalia squeezed her arm until slowly, whimpering, released Odile from her grasp, who turned to the woman in mercy and clasped her hand.

"I had Lightning," Odile said to ease her immense pain. "And the others didn't suffer for long."

Ariadne whimpered, clasping her hand tightly. "Others," she heard someone else say.

"You know of the others?" Thalia asked urgently, holding Ariadne's shaking frame.

"There were five of us," Odile confirmed the other Umbra she'd heard and some seen that'd been with them at the castle once before. "Lightning and I were the youngest," Gasps went up around the room with eyes turning on Jeanne and Cereza each. Ariadne's eyes widened, filled with pain. "The others didn't make it." Odile finally filled in.

"No," Chatter had started up again, but Odile couldn't hear it for the moment as Ariadne broke in front of her, "No, please!"

Thalia wrapped around her as the woman crumpled to her knees, shaking hand slipping from Odile's as she wept with grief. Odile had a twinge to comfort her in some other way, but she didn't know what else would be appropriate to say. Jeanne saved her from that in another moment, pulling Odile away by the hand back to Cereza and Lightning.

"This meeting is complete!" Jeanne said boomingly through the hall as other Umbra watched Odile and Lightning, some stricken, Cybele in grief, others incredulous eyes following them while women tended each other's greifs. "We will adjourn until tomorrow evening, and not until then again will this council speak! _Besaste, _Sisters! Come, if you wish to speak."

Odile followed Jeanne out of the pit of grief.


	7. Chapter 7

Lightning moved to her arm and took Odile's hand as they exited. "Moved, sweetie?" Odile asked quietly. Lightning cast her a glare for the remark. Yes, they'd witnessed real grief, especially in that Umbra Ariadne, but it didn't change anything. The Umbra were twisting truth in claiming pregnancy couldn't be had, lying about it to look better than they were. Lightning bought their grief, sure; even a rapist could be upset over her baby's death. It didn't mean it hadn't happened that way. These women were sadistic, god-powered connivers; take what they were doing to the Yuns for example. Kale had been scared white of what they'd do just coming into her village. They were definitely capable, slithering snakes.

"I'm sorry about what happened in there, Jeanne said as they got away, "Are you two okay?"

"We're fine," Odile answered for them casually, "Did that… reveal who our mothers are?"

"Yes," Jeanne confirmed, seemingly stressed as they made way back to her villa home.

"Is it you?" Odile asked, suspecting the same as Lightning had from how they'd reacted.

"Yes, it's us." Lightning suddenly had a sinking feeling as she looked at Odile, then observed Jeanne's strain. If both of their mothers were from them, with no known discrepancy in their ages...

"…We're not sisters, are we?"

"What?" Jeanne asked, alarmed. Cereza actually chuckled with glee.

"No, no, Lightning, that's not the case. You're not ours, Sweetie."

"Oh," Lightning released a breath that had Odile grinning from ear to ear. She scowled at her, sneering. Odile squeezed her hand delightedly.

"So, who's Lightning's mother?" Odile asked, "Or mothers…"

Cereza just finished off her chuckle, "We suspect Raina's your mother, Lightning. She was the one absent from the council meeting; though, I can't imagine where that dark coloring comes from."

"It's fake," Odile announced blatantly. Lightning squeezed her hand painfully hard and glared. "Ow!" Odile pulled her hand from Lightning's, then answered her mothers' concerned eyes. "She's sensitive."

"That's okay," Jeanne finally spoke again, opening the door for them of the giant villa house. "Girls, if… if you're okay to do so, I'd like to talk to you about what happened… in Cocoon."

"Sure," Odile answered, surprisingly easily, concerningly good at faking this kind of thing. Lightning glanced at her, but she just offered a little smile. "We don't mind."

"Jeanne," someone said from behind them, turning all their heads to a slender, blonde woman in the doorway, holding something. "I've come to return Fang." Lightning squinted to see what was in her hand, thinking that some kind of object, "Oh. I didn't know you had company. I'll just leave you with her, then."

Lightning's eyes widened as the tall girl stepped aside with a little tug of her wrist to drop off Fang. "Thank you, Circe," Jeanne said in her leaving, though Lightning barely heard it for what her eyes were registering. A woman wearing a strange, never-seen-before white suit strode through the door and paused before them. Tall, tan-skinned, with dark, scraggled hair flipped every which way, she stood taller in height than Odile with crystal green eyes above a scarred lashing staining her cheek that did nothing to hamper her exquisite beauty in the slightest. Since coming to Pulse, Lightning and Odile had come across pretty faces. From Kale to the flawless faces of the Umbra, even the land, it was pretty clear beauty had been woven into Gran Pulse genes.

None of that could've prepared her to stand before this. White suit hanging open, red tie half undone as she fingered it with an off hand, cheekbones otherworldly, with the most feminine, kissable lips Lightning had ever seen, slender eyebrows pinched as that jaw grew taut on sight of them. If Lightning had been afraid of lusting for her enemy, she'd just hit breaking point. Because this woman had her quaking in a stare at that scarred, perfectly majestic face just by standing.

"Lightning," Odile barely breathed, and it took everything in Lightning to rip her eyes from that beauty to see Odile staring too, but lower than she. Lightning followed her gaze and blinked at the biggest pants bulge she'd ever seen. Her eyes quickly lifted back to the face of this majestic creature who couldn't possibly be human with a face like that staring at them.

Sharp, dazzling viridian eyes cut a fast track to the Umbra behind them with something that almost cut a glare into them. They lowered back to Odile and Lightning. "Do you want to be done together or separately? If it's separate, I need to be able to sleep in-between."

"Fang, no." Jeanne shook her head, sounding lost or sad.

"Thanks for the relief," Fang bit off bitterly, "Is there anything else you need of me?"

"No, Fang." Jeanne said quietly. "You can go." Brushing past Cereza, she disappeared away out of the foyer as quickly as she could. Jeanne looked strained again, like she wanted to go after Fang, and Lightning couldn't blame her. Even as she stormed away from them, she couldn't tear away her eyes. Cereza touched her arm comfortingly and whispered what they probably weren't meant to hear.

"She'll be okay. You know Roma."

"Who is that?" Odile asked blatantly, staring after the space Fang had disappeared, as if hoping for even a momentary reappearance again.

"Fang's our house guest," Jeanne exhaled with a soft puff. "You may meet her later."

"What is she?" Lightning asked, not altogether meaning a clan, but that was provided for her anyway.

"She's a Yun," Jeanne answered simply, drawing Lightning's questioning eyes. She remembered Kale, and how 'servicing' she had been as well. Were all Yuns that way? Was that Fang's case too, bitter that she had to service the Umbra?

Rapists, Lightning thought with a silent growl in her head. These people were despicable, all of them. They housed an entire society of rape. Fucking power-driven goddess women, making such a beautifully creature that bitter over her situation. Lightning would see them burned for it, all of them.

"I'm going to make some food and see if Fang needs tending," Cereza volunteered, relieving Jeanne, who nodded with a quiet.

"Okay," she turned back down the hall and summoned them again. "This way," Lightning and Odile followed Jeanne back through the house to their room. She ached a bit, wanting a shower, and the mention of food made her crave it. Lightning didn't know what time it was, but the moon had been up when they'd exited the hall. Her stomach ached for something to put in it. "Are you girls tired?" Jeanne asked along the way, "Or hungry? I can leave you to wash up and change, if you need."

Lightning almost moaned at the words, wanting that so very badly, but these women were all still evil, she couldn't bring herself to accept a kindness from them, one they would refuse their own people, the Yuns, so blatantly. Like black-souled demons, these people slithered and—

"That would be lovely," Odile agreed, more than happily. "Thank you, mother."

The address drew Jeanne's eyes, who looked upon Odile with an immense mix of emotion and old, subdued pain. "You're welcome." Jeanne finally breathed, letting them both back into the room they'd occupied before.

"What was it you called me before?" Odile asked, filling her mother's eyes. "My name?"

"Jihl," Jeanne whispered softly, "I named you Jihl."

"Jihl," Odile smiled warmly. "You can call me that again if you want. I kinda like it." Jeanne's eyes watered with unshed tears. "And Lightning and I can talk to you about Cocoon, if you want, Mother. Can you give us the hour?"

Jeanne's arms wrapped around her then, barely containing a sob caught in her throat. Odile hugged her back warmly; Lightning couldn't fathom how. "Jihl… my daughter," Jeanne whispered like a whimper. By the time she pulled back again, she'd gotten ahold of herself as best she could. "I'll bring you up something to eat," Jeanne promised, which Lightning's stomach churned for, despite her best protests. "Do you girls like meat?"

"Oh, yes," Odile agreed, "We're big eaters. Lightning, especially."

Lightning cast her a glare under the radar for it.

"I'll put it on the desk," Jeanne said, "And bring you fresh clothes. If you still feel like talking after…"

"We will," Odile promised.

Jeanne gave a last, small nod to them, "I'll search for Raina immediately, Lightning. She'll come as soon as we find her, I'm sure of it. We can talk about her too, if you wish to."

Lightning's jaw tightened. Odile thanked Jeanne for them, who gazed their way, then finally turned away to make them things to eat. Odile ran over to the bed and jumped as soon as she'd left, almost squealing in glee.

Lightning waited at the door to listen to her retreating footsteps. She closed the door behind Jeanne, but then stopped when all sound of the steps went out like a light. Frowning, she opened the door another smidge. Distant feet on the stairs picked up a quiet step once more. Lightning testingly shut the door. Once again, all lingering sound went out in a blink.

"Lightttninnng, what are you doing?" Odile complained from the bed, "I wanna cuddle."

"The room," Lightning opened the door a crack again, "It seals off sounds."

"Privacy? No way," Odile patted the bed beside her. "Lay with me, luv."

Lightning turned from the door, leaving it a hair opened for the sound. "We should wash up. I'm dirty from everything, and especially you."

"You're no fun," Odile pouted, rolling sideways on the bed to a sitting position at the edge. "If you won't play, at least help me strip."

Lightning crossed in front of her on the bed where Odile gave her a smile. She lifted her arms expectantly, giving Lightning full access. Lightning reached around her where the leather clasped at the back. Her breasts pressed to Lightning's front, smushing so pleasantly. Odile's lips grazed hers, then pressed, pulling Lightning's waist to hers as she pulled free her blade and let it fall, undoing Lightning's straps.

Lightning inhaled at the warm press and allowed it. Odile's lips massaged hers, stirring Lightning deep inside. How she wanted to stay here and throw Odile to that bed.

But they couldn't. They only had an hour until Jeanne got back.

Lightning pulled back as the straps came loose to Odile's pout. Lightning pulled the top garment away as her uncomfortable skirt fell to the ground. "We don't have much time. Come on," Lightning said, taking Odile's hand so she could lead her to the bathroom.

"Baaby," Odile whined.

"No," Lightning said in finality. They had to wash up, contact Sage, and prepare their answers for Jeanne. "No sex."

**XXX**

Lightning's eyelids fluttered, back flattened to the back of the tub. "Oh—Od…ille,"

"Mmm," Odile purred, delighted, adding hard pressure to Lightning's sensitive clit with her biggest, flexible toe. "That's right, baby." Lightning moaned softly and reached for the limb between her legs, but only laid a hand on the foot and didn't attempt move it.

Lightning released a hard puff of breath, the pain from her taunting limb almost as strong as the pleasure. "It hurts," Lightning winced, Odile grinding a particularly tender spot.

"So stop me." Odile taunted, knowing she was far too gone to stop. Lightning whimpered. Water splashed as her foot moved, big toe dipping lower to her entry where it slipped in and made her gasp. Lightning's grip on her foot tightened.

"Odile— " Lightning moaned, whimpering.

"Good girl." Odile purred, so very pleased with her lover in this. "Now, come!" The order came with such a rough push, it almost had Lightning crying as sweat dripped back into her hair. The toe pulled free and lifted again to grind. Odile leaned half across the tub and grabbed Lightning by the shoulder, dragging her close to kiss in a meshing of mouths that caved Lightning so close, it only took a single press further to push Lightning over the edge. She broke from Odile sharply with a ragged gasp that had her back against the tub again, breathless as she heaved for air.

Blinding pleasure gradually settled with her breathy intakes until a weight eventually pulled across her body, climbing until she pulled over her entirely. Lightning had not even the strength to open her eyes as Odile's legs curled around her back until she'd completely seated in her lap. Odile kissed her throat as she breathed, gently suckling the pretty bruise she had made. She worked her way up to Lightning's mouth and lavished her lips with a long, slow kiss. Lightning's heart gradually slowed with the rest of her body. She let out a last puff as Odile kissed back to her ear.

"Odile…" Lightning hummed, so sated.

Odile smiled in pure delight. She pet Lightning's head and cradled her against her body. "Thatt'a girl, luv." Lightning felt her ease against her legs. Odile always liked to feel their sexes rub. She kissed her cheek one last. "I'm proud of you."

"How did this happen?" Lightning whimpered, resting her head. "We have… so much to do."

"You worry too much, luv." Odile stroked down the middle of her back until her hand brushed the knob. "Shower water coming in," she warned, pulling the nozzle so that the spigot above them rained water down, cool at first, which made Lightning gasp, but it quickly turned warm again.

Odile stayed in her hug of Lightning, absently doodling on Lightning's back. She stopped when she hit the tail end of the scar high on Lightning's left shoulder. Sort of bubble shaped at the top like a fan, the mark jutted down to a point. It was the mark of Cocoon, of Sage's dearest, and it'd been burned into Lightning's skin. Odile had one just like it; it was branded proof they were disciples of Sage. He'd called it a blessing when he'd brought the hot iron to their backs.

Odile called it a bawdy show of dominance. The thing was ugly, and it had hurt. Some day, she'd always thought, she'd burn something over it in a miniature rebellion. Maybe she'd get to do it here, if Lightning came around.

Water doused their heads, all warm. Odile kissed the top of Lightning's dark strands, then finally pushed her back by the shoulders to smile at her sleepy face. "Feel better, luv?"

Lightning looked at her with pretty eyes, the day's exhaustion running her thin. "I'm hungry," she mumbled, and her tummy made a noise in kind.

"Aww," Odile purred, taking the hair cleaner in her hands. She squirt some on Lightning's head and rubbed it in, "And I wanna jump in our new bed again, so let's get moving." She sudsed up Lightning's head, her own hair starting to weigh down with water and let it sit a moment, reaching down so their sexes to clean Lightning all up. "You're doing me after," Odile warned, "So, don't get too sleepy yet."

Lightning yawned. Odile pulled her rebellious little head under the stream again to rinse it all out. Lightning's hair came out smooth, clean and shiny. "This is pretty good stuff," Odile commented, running her fingers through Lightning's hair.

"They _should _have good stuff," Lightning grumbled, "They bloody wear their hair." Odile grinned and patted her cheek. When Lightning was all clean, she turned around and sat between her legs as Lightning used considerably more suds to clean her hair. Odile leaned back against her body comfortably, hair all sudsed and getting Lightning soapy, as Lightning fingered her to clean and washed the hair between her legs. "Mmm," Odile murmured, kissing Lightning's cheek between her wet drapes of hair. "Thanks, baby."

Lightning started doing more, thumbing for her clit. Odile caught her wrist. "Tomorrow, Sweetie. I know you're too tired for this. You can do me on that perfect bed." Lightning kissed her on the lips.

"Deal," she agreeingly said. Odile stroked her cheek and kissed her one last. Lightning rinsed the soaps from her hair, which took another good fifteen minutes before they finished up and pulled out of the tub. Lightning's stomach moaned loudly while they were drying with towels. Odile grinned and issued her out.

"Go, I smell food out there. I'll clean up."

Lightning kissed her again and nearly flew out the door after that. Odile shook her head and cleaned up their mess. She towel-dried her long locks as best as she could manage. When she entered the next room, she found Lightning naked, sitting on the bed with soup and fresh bread in her hands. And the food wasn't the only thing that was smelling. Odile laughed. "You're wet."

"Shut up," Lightning grumbled, gorging the food in. "It tastes so good," Lightning practically moaned.

"Just leave a crust of bread for me, will you, hon?" Lightning made another noise of contentment suspiciously like her happies during sex. Odile left her to it and plucked at the garments her mothers had left. She found a sizely bra and held it up with an amused grin. "Think this'll fit me?"

Lightning glanced over and snorted at it. "Fifteen years ago, maybe."

Odile chuckled in delight and put the bra back down in favor of a looser-fitting, long robe garment that she wrapped in like a queen. "You know," Odile said, admiring herself in the lengthwise mirror near the door, "You should lie down, Light."

"In a minute," Lightning said, finishing off the last of her soup.

"Don't put on any clothes," Odile ordered her girl.

"Odile— "

"I'm not gonna do you, you twat." Odile brushed off. "Just lie down." Casting a doubtful glance at Odile, Lightning finished a last bite of bread and settled in facing her. "Face the other way," Odile commanded. Lightning looked at her with a doubting brow. "Oh, just do it." Odile huffed. Casting a glance back over her shoulder, Lightning warned.

"No implements."

"No implements," Odile promised, then dropped her robe with Lightning still looking the other way. Odile approached the bed and slid in behind Lightning. She pulled up the covers, then wrapped a warm arm around her lover and pulled her in against her chest. "Isn't this nice?" Odile murmured, warming herself with Lightning. "No worrying about who will come in if we fall asleep like this… no one chafing their dicks in us." Lightning's eyes were already closing.

"It's a nice break," she agreed back, "We still have to find Ragnarok."

"Mhmm," Odile murmured for Lightning's stubborn insistence. "But in the meantime… " and hopefully more than that, "I like this. Having this with you."

"I like it too," Detecting a faint smile on her lover's sweet lips, Odile kissed the back of her cheek one more time tonight, and let the thought sit with her as they drifted off to sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**XXX**

Fang rolled over on the bed, staring at the empty soup bowls she'd devoured last night. Jeanne or Cereza had brought them in, along with three fresh loaves and meat, some vegetables, and milk. Fang had scarfed it all, as they had known knew she would. The other Umbra didn't always feed Fang well enough during her stays with them, and Roma was a worst offender. Having received little time to consume or rest or do anything but fuck for the last five months, Fang had lost some weight in unhealthy ways. She'd always been ashamed of scarfing down food after the visits; it'd been sweet of Jeanne to leave it while she'd showered last night, able to eat it alone after.

But now Fang was hungry again. Her belly ached in horrible ways, her speeded, Yun metabolism not nearly satisfied enough with the feast of last night, especially with the faint, lingering scent of it hovering around the room. Fang stared at the empty plates. In the early afternoon to the hour she had slept, Fang didn't know if it'd be safe yet to go downstairs and raid the pantry. Jeanne and Cereza would usually be out at such a time, but yesterday they'd had guests, which meant they were probably downstairs right now with them. It wasn't the boner she'd get that bothered Fang, she was very used to walking around any Umbra house with a stiff third leg, but Fang didn't much like others to see how hungry she got. Among full-blooded Umbra who ate leaves and little crusts of bread, it just felt wrong to eat like that.

In the middle of her debate as to if she should risk it or not, Fang's door pushed in.  
"Fang!" Little Rhea ran in and squeaked, and in another second, her little body had wound around Fang on the bed in hugging her. "—ums said you came back and," the girl took in a great, heaving breath. "I missed you, Fang!" she finished, half of her speech being lost in Witch-Time which she'd probably jumped into accidentally out of excitement.

Fang savored the short, few seconds of holding before Rhea rolled away on her bed.

"Now, Rhea," Cereza cautioned her excitement, also in Fang's room more towards the dresser.

"Five moons is a long time to go adventuring!" Rhea claimed excitedly, "You feel smaller, Fang! Did a monster bite you and suck out all your fat?"

"Hey," Fang held up the pesky little thing, almost with the barest hints of a smile at her daughter's tease. "Adventuring's hard work, you know."

"We needa stuff her, mummy!" In a blink, Rhea was out of her hands and Fang no longer sat on the bed. Instead, her six-foot three body hovered in the air in the arms of a small, 11 year old girl above the bed. "She's a twiggy!"

"Heyy," Fang protested again, something incredibly wrong about her eleven year old being to lift her like that. She hadn't been able to pull that stunt the last time Fang had seen. "When'd you go and learn a trick like that?"

"Mummy taught me!" Rhea announced proudly.

"Rhea, put Fang back on the bed," Cereza told her offhandedly, amusement coloring her eyes.

Rhea did so with an exaggerated puff for how little other effort she showed. "Your legs are still fat," she said, "The monsters always ignore that part of you."

"It's _muscle_," Fang told the little squirt again, an argument they'd had before. "Not fat. Muscle like those you use to pick me up with."

"Pshh," the child blew off, "Mums' muscles don't bulge like that."

"Rhea, darling, you're gonna make Fang too shy to eat again."

"Nooo," Rhea griped, "You have to eat with us, Fang! My long lost sister is home, and you have to meet her with me! I want you there!"

"Long lost sister, huh?" Fang asked, glancing up at Cereza for some kind of confirmation.

"Yeah!" Rhea squeaked excitedly. "It's Jihl, Fang! And mummies thought she was gone, but she came back from her own adventure! On the same day as you!"

"That's something," Fang admitted, wondering when Cereza would pull her away to explain this. Had those been the Umbra she'd brushingly met yesterday?"

"Besides," Rhea added importantly, "You're boney like a tree."

"I am not."

"Just tell it not to go to your legs." Rhea told her, taking Fang's hand, "And come on, Fang! We've got pancakes and bacon today!" Fang's stomach betrayed it. It made Rhea the happiest little piper with that giggle and grin.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Fang grumbled after her little kin. "Lucky I don't eat you, I'm so hungry."

Rhea giggled again. "You'd never catch me, Fang."

Cereza smiled faintly and followed them out the other way.

**XXX**

"Majesty," Lightning reached out with her mind, on the floor in the bathroom with the door closed behind her.

_I am here, my children. _Sage's soothing voice eased straight into her brain. _Are you in an unhearable space? Speak freely, if so. How do you fare?_

"Yes, I am, and we are well," Lightning communicated, "Odile and I have infiltrated city. We were recognized immediately for outsiders. The Umbra community is much smaller than we expected."

_Are you safe? _Sage asked, caring nature in complete concern for their well-being first and foremost of it all.

"We are," Lightning confessed, eased in the melody of his gentle tone that spoke to her heart directly. "We've been adopted in by Odile's mother, who is the leader of the clan. By count, there were eighteen seats for Umbra in their chambers."

_Eighteen… _Sage mused.

"Yes," Lightning confirmed, "They're as despicable as you claimed. The Umbra rule this land like tyrants. There are a people here called Yuns whom they use to procreate. It is like an enslavement. They force their Clan to produce children for them, then leave the father abandoned without letting her even see the child. It's sickening."

_Vile beasts and rapists, _Sage murmured straight into her brain. Lightning couldn't agree more, _When we have the strength of Ragnarok, we will burn them out and free the Yuns and any other clan they dominate!_

"That's another thing," Lightning confessed, hard-pressed not to believe they could with the way Sage spoke it. "They already have Ragnarok and have been using it to produce children. We haven't seen the beast or what it's spawned with these rapists, but we're right in the middle of their civilization now, in the leader's own house. It shouldn't be long before we can provide information on the beast, and soon take its seed as well."

_We are at a disadvantage, _Sage spoke gravely, _But do not fear, child. Umbra power is in their strength. Witch talents have no effect on me, and I know how to milk Ragnarok's magic. Proceed with your quest, and step cautiously. The vipers lie like snakes, and undoubtedly will try to deceive you. Stay strong in your belief, my child. You will not break._

"Thank you, majesty. I will. And I will update you as soon as we have more viable information."

_My blessings, child. _Sage bid, _Farewell._

Lightning lifted her head from her kneel. When she turned around, Odile was standing in the door with an annoyed expression and sleepy eyes. "Waking up to Sage's voice in my head is not on my list of pleasures."

"I had to update him," Lightning insisted.

"My back hurts," Odile complained, "Does your back hurt?"

"It's probably from the softness of the bed," Lightning explained, starting out the bathroom. "Come on."

"Sex?"

"Sleep."

Odile grumblingly complained.

**XXX**

Fang blinked again as the unheard murmur buzzed through her head like a giant gnat. She glanced to her side to check for a bug, but saw nothing. It died down for a few seconds before the buzz came back with a sudden flash of strength. "Ow!" Fang complained as it cut straight through her head, like the bug was right next to her ear and chittering.

"Fang?" Cereza stopped to ask as the sound died down, "Is everything okay?"

It returned a few moments later dully again and droned on a bit. Buzz wasn't the right word for it; it wasn't like a fly… more like a hum. "Do you hear that?" Fang asked, the noise loud and quite annoying, varying it pitch every few seconds.

Cereza glanced both ways down the hall, then looked at her in concern. "Something your hearing's picking up?"

"I don't know," Fang confessed as the hum died in and out again. "I just have a headache or something."

Cereza nodded. Looking to little Rhea, she ushered her down the hall with a hand. "Rhea, go help mummy make the pancakes for breakfast."

"Okay, Mummy!" Cereza agreed, zipping off.

"I wanted to talk to you anyway," Cereza stated as Fang had guessed, "Is your head okay, Fang?"

"Yeah, it's dying out again." Fang watched her little girl disappear into the kitchen, then turned back to Cereza. "What's this about Jihl coming back?"

"Who you saw coming in yesterday," Cereza specified, "Was Jihl. We don't know how this has happened yet, but it seems like our girls who died were taken to Cocoon instead."

Fang could hardly follow that. Jihl had been one of the saddest deaths for Jeanne and Cereza, and one of the main reasons they'd never wanted to sleep with Fang. Too upset over the death of their daughter, they'd been pushed to it when she was discovered, just like Jeanne was being pushed to it again. "Wow," Fang finally managed, not really knowing what else to say.

"Indeed," Cereza agreed, "Please be on your best behavior, Fang," Cereza asked, which was laughable if Fang laughed anymore because she only had one behavior, and that was to please. "They're new to everything here, so they'll probably stare. Just answer naturally if they ask any uncomfortable questions."

"Do they know about me?" Fang asked, remembering their eyes on her yesterday, anxious to look and touch and play. Two more half-breds who weren't her kin meant two more Umbra she'd be traded between to please.

"Not yet."

But they would soon. Fang couldn't even sigh about it, she was so used to the Umbra wanting more from her every day. "Okay," Fang said simply.

"And one last thing," Cereza added, "You won't be expected to go to another Umbra's or have Yuns for a little bit. Jeanne's next, and you won't go to anyone else until she's pregnant. And we won't expect you to until you've healed from Roma."

"I could be there tonight if you want," Fang answered simply. Breaks didn't matter. Jeanne wasn't an abusive lover anyway, and that'd be more than enough in coming off from Roma. At least Fang would get some time with Rhea for a little while, while she was fucking Jeanne.

"Jeanne will probably want more time," Cereza said, and Fang couldn't tell if it was for her or with this new situation for Jeanne.

"Okay."

They came into the kitchen as Jeanne gave Rhea a last, commanding stare. "No Witch-Time, Rhea. Not even a little one. You'll make your sister and her friend sick."

"Okaaay," Rhea complained, "Where are they, Mum? I wanna meet Jihl already!"

"Cereza's going to get them."

"Without Witch-Time?" Rhea huffed.

"I'll be back in two," Cereza promised.

"That could take like an hour!"

"Why don't you show me," Fang said to her stubborn little girl as she sat down, "What others cool things you learned while I was adventuring," Fang suggested, "Like your hair."

"Ooh!" Rhea cooed, "Watch, Fang! Look how long I can get it!" Fang observed her progress, a whole foot more, while Cereza trekked back upstairs after her second daughter.

Rhea was just in the midst of telling her how she could walk up small walls in the moonlight when Cereza returned with the two girls in tow, a long-haired blonde one, and one of black coloring. Both wore long, white robes instead of their hair. Fang stood respectfully, boner hardening to frightening proportions at the scents of two more Umbra in the vicinity. Rhea popped up from her seat as well. "Jihl!" With the innocence only a child could possess, Rhea raced over tall blonde and hugged her around the waist. "You don't know me yet, but I'm your sister!"

"Is that so?" Jihl asked with a quirked eyebrow at the little one around her waist. Fang watched her nervously, curious about how she'd react to her little daughter.

Rhea stepped back to nod importantly. "Yep! Mummies have told me all about you! How the nasty Cocoons tricked them into thinking you were gone, but now you've made it back!"

"That's true," Jihl smiled at the little girl. "I never knew I had a cute little sister to return to."

Rhea beamed. "I was born after you were gone," she informed affirmatively, "But Mummies told me you were a beautiful baby! And your hair's sooo long and nice," Rhea admired. "I love the style of it! So pretty."

"Thank you," Jihl chuckled, seemingly delighted with the little one.

"Can I copy your style?" she asked politely, then before waiting for an answer, glanced shyly at Lightning. "And who's she?" Rhea asked with a little, half-bitten away smile as she stared at the ground. "Is she your lady-friend?"

"Rhea!" Jeanne chastised from the sink to Cereza's laugh.

"What?" Rhea shrieked, "I asked it nicely, Mum!"

"She means girlfriend?" Jihl asked Cereza with a grin.

"She means 'woman you intend to make babies with,'" Cereza answered, chuckling.

"But I said it nicely, Mum!" Rhea insisted again, her little head not understanding why she was getting yelled at. "Her lady-friend looks like she'd make a good pregnant mom!"

Jihl's 'lady-friend' went pink. Jihl was laughing, and Cereza amused, until she quieted looking at Jeanne, retaining a bit of a smile at the edges. It was only then that Fang realized the other one had been chancing glances her way every few seconds away from the kid. Jeanne sighed in distress and Rhea, feeling persecuted, cried, "It was a compliment!"

"Oh, I like you," Jihl chuckled, casting a grinning gaze to her friend. "We're going to get right along. What's your name, Cutie?"

"Someone knows it's a compliment," Rhea mumbling, grumbling. "My name's Rhea," Fang's little girl announced, "Mummy says you go by two names, but I like Jihl best. Can I call you that?"

"Of course, Rhea," Jihl assured, taking her friend's hand, "And my lady-friend's name is Lightning."

"Hello," Rhea greeted, more shy of that one, and Fang couldn't blame her much. Jihl echoed an air of casual fun and, though she'd been the one staring at her dick yesterday, Lightning's presence didn't seem as welcoming. At least her sister seemed nice, which Fang judged as good for her.

"We should all sit down," Jeanne instructed, bringing food to the high-raised table of them. When the others came over to settle into seats too, Jeanne introduced, "Jihl, Lightning, this is Fang. You met briefly yesterday."

Both girls' eyes turned in her direction. "Nice to meet you." Fang offered as Jihl's eyes dropped to her bulge again, "I apologize for yesterday."

"Not at all, darling," Jihl almost purred her way, seeming instantly fascinated. Fang didn't blame her. It was one thing to be full-Umbra and be exposed to her Ragnarok blood, which was like a magnet. The effect Fang echoed, like the Umbra did on all Yuns, was an arousing aura to Umbra as the chosen Ragnarok. It almost seemed to affect half-Umbra's worse than those of full blood, but that might've just been because the full-Umbra had known her longer and were used to it, like Fang was to them.

At least it didn't affect _her _children, Fang thought, looking at little Rhea. It would've twisted Fang's gut more than anything if it had. For whatever reason, perhaps the Ragnarok traits she passed on, those she spawned seemed immune to the Umbra-effect.

Jihl and Lightning weren't, though. Newly exposed to Fang, they watched her, completely taken in it. Fang wondered if she'd be satisfying them as well as Jeanne on her thankful break from Roma.

"Hey…" the second one added in greeting, much more reserved than her friend.

"Fang's our house guest," Jeanne said to explain.

They sat at the table, Jihl's eyes still lively on her, "So, Fang," Jihl prompted, "You're a Yun?"

"Yes," Fang confirmed, unsure of how much she knew of this world if she'd only arrived yesterday. "Full-blooded, yes."

"Mmm," Jihl pondered, then asked, "Are Yuns the only tribe… like that?"

Rhea giggled, drawing her mothers' eyes. "She said it politely."

Jeanne sighed.

"Yes, we're the only ones." Fang answered politely, "Not all of us, but a good majority are… my way from the plague." Fang waited for everyone to take their food first, then went last.

"Plague?" Jihl asked, pushing. Fang glanced to Jeanne, the motherly leader of this troupe as well.

"It's a part of history," Jeanne explained, happy to lead the conversation away, "From our war with the Sages. When they started attacking our people, they drew some of us away from our sanctuary and killed them. Seeing the success of the tactic, they tried something else: a horrible spell from their collective to change our people into the Sages' creation of men. Knowing how we valued our creation, we were horrified to see them changed. The Sages underestimated our rage on behalf of our people. We killed them before the plague could spread, and lost many of our own that day."

"But then…" Jihl led on, glancing at Fang. "Something went wrong with the spell?"

"Nothing went wrong," Jeanne shook her head, "Our people were still not theirs of mind, and so we took pity on them. There were barely any of us left, but we combined our magic to cure what we could of the Yuns, and gave them back what dignity we could with their beauty and the gift to all of them of sense. With as few of us as there were left… we could not undo the transformation all the way."

"I see," Jihl mused curiously. Lightning's eyes were dark with rage.

"The men say you slaughtered them after the war," her gaze accusing, she looked between Cereza and Jeanne. "They say you slew them mercilessly in the streets until you're only people begged for you to stop."

"We did do that," Jeanne admitted freely, glancing at little Rhea across the table. "Men were created in the image and likeness of the Sage; after the war, we wanted to eradicate his influence completely, so we went on a purge. Unfortunately, some of our people had grown rather attached. They were made to, after all, to reproduce with each other. One was made to need the other so neither of our people would have the advantage or war to destroy the other."

"Men are bad!" Rhea claimed, adding importantly, "The Sages started the war to dominate us, and men followed in their path. Mummies were protecting our people by getting rid of them!"

"…that was the idea, yes." Jeanne confirmed, glancing at her little one who wolfed down her bacon like Fang did when she was alone. Lightning still appeared to be angry, but Jihl seemed delighted with the history of it. "When our women pled with us, we listened and, instead of killing them all as planned, moved them and whatever women wanted to go with them to Cocoon, our home. We came to Gran Pulse to live with our people instead."

"But then you had a problem, didn't you?" Lightning spoke again, too accusing a tone to mean it simply as a question. She seemed personally offended. "Too few Yuns?"

"At first, yes," Jeanne admitted. "With our loss in number, we lost a great many of our abilities as well, those which came with the collective of us. We had too few Yuns of Fang's kind all in one place; so, we went out across Gran Pulse to build stronger cities for our people with better weapons and tools to protect themselves with. Our women had learned a great many things already; we just gave some finishing touches. Everyone was satisfied with the tribal lives they led, so we left most of our technology inactive and unpowered in Cocoon, but allowed the fal'Cie to provide them food and their needs, since there are no creatures in our domain. Those had been created for our people in Gran Pulse."

"That doesn't answer the question," Lightning stubbornly pointed out, seeming to want Jeanne to admit Yuns were raped, which wasn't conversation her daughter should hear at the table.

"Most of the Yuns were willing," Fang filled in, "Happy to service the Umbra for all they'd done for us. The Umbra had suffered a great devastation to their ranks; it was only natural that they'd want us to help them reproduce faster." Rather than look relieved, Jeanne seemed saddened by her answer. She had a good heart.

"Those of us who didn't want to do it the slower, old fashion way with each other," Cereza added for Rhea's benefit, since the little girl was still too young to know of such true things of reproduction. Cereza offered a smile to her little daughter, "Right, dearie?"

"Yeah!" Rhea giggled happily, the overreaching tense of the topic going over her little head. "Mums wanted to make me themselves."

Fang's eyes lowered at the happy jest, a hollowness there.

"In any case," Jeanne turned the conversation away, "Enough of history lessons. Does the food satisfy you? We can add more meat if you're hungry for it. We keep a steady stock of it for Fang, if you're the same way."

"It's delicious," Jihl complimented, "We never have such fine meals prepared for us back home. Lightning especially loves good food. She's the one that ate everything you brought upstairs last night."

Lightning colored again in stark contrast to her earlier demeanor. She stared at her food and mumbled, "It's very good…" then sent a nasty glare Jihl's way when she thought no one was looking.

"That's an appetite you must've picked up from your father," Cereza said with a warm smile, "Raina never had any patience for cooking, and never took very much."

Fang looked up sharply at the mention of their outcasted Umbra who seemed to be Lightning's mom. She didn't get a word in before Lightning hissed icily. "My mother doesn't seem to have patience with anything."

Jihl sighed quietly. Fang glanced over at her little girl again and wondered if she should leave with her.

"Lightning?" Jeanne asked cautiously. Lightning glared at her across the table.

Lightning's jaw clenched tightly. "Excuse me," she popped off the seat, "I'm not very hungry." Lightning started to walk away.

"Lightning— " Jeanne started to stand, but Jihl shook her head and stood.

"One moment," she disappeared a little down the hall after Lightning. Fang overheard heated whispers from Lightning and Jihl's more even words of soothing before Jihl kissed her forehead and Lightning took off for their room. Jihl returned to the table alone, clearing her throat.

"Fang," Jeanne requested, "Can you take Rhea out to play in the back gardens?"

"Aww," Rhea whined, "Why don't I get to hear the good stuff?" Jeanne sighed. Fang stood to take her daughter away.


	9. Chapter 9

"Come on, Rhea," Fang encouraged gently, "Let's tend to the roses, and then we'll find something to play."

"Can it be tag?"

"You always win tag."

Rhea grinned guiltily. "We should battle strengths and see who's stronger, Fang!"

"Now, now," Fang cautioned, "I don't wanna crush you, squirt."

"Hey! Who says you'd crush me!" Rhea pouted as the left out the back. Fang almost smiled at her and pointed to the roses lining the house, the back yard a beautiful place of their open garden, then further back, the trees and streams where Rhea liked to play. With the breath of fresh air as she left the house of pleasing scents, the pressure in Fang's pants loosened as she took in breaths.

"I'll get the water! Time me!" Rhea volunteered, time-zipping away to do so. Fang basked in the shining sun and started counting the seconds in her head. After five months of being shut away, it was good to feel its rays on her face again. She'd forgotten how pleasing the fresh breeze could be again.

Rhea's little form popped up in the distance near the trees as she dashed to the stream with a watering pail, then disappeared again as she time-tripped away. Fang closed her eyes and took in nature's air to breathe.

A scent hit that air not long in coming, one familiar that Fang recognized. She opened her eyes and glanced back at the balcony where Lightning now stood, obviously looking for a breath of fresh air too after she'd stormed away. Leaning at the stone rail that only met half her height, she caught sight of Fang too, and Fang looking at her.

Fang lost track of the count as something occurred to her then, "Rhea, don't— "

It was too late. Rhea next appeared right beside Fang, and Fang was right. The twenty-some feet up and over to Lightning wasn't enough to save her from the Witch-Time stint. She gasped from the balcony when real-time rushed back in and, unsteady of footing, made to grab for the rail for support. It broke into pieces through her fingers, then she was falling.

Fang reacted on pure instinct, stepped up the little black fence around the garden and jumped for her amongst the falling rocks. She managed to snag her with one arm, which was all she needed to yank Lightning to her body and shield her as best she could. She hit the dirt back-first, a brick of stone striking her shoulder as petals flew up around them, the bite of rose thorns cutting into her. "Ack!" Fang flinched, more from the sting of thorns than the chop of balcony that'd struck her.

Rose petals fluttered to settle around them like a scene.

"Fang!" Rhea squeaked, horrified and hurrying over. Lightning, who still seemed dizzy worse than ever, panted. She pulled herself up only so far as to brace above Fang on shaky arms, looking pale and sickly. Worse, so close, hovering over her in those robes, her scent washed over Fang with the aphrodisiac of roses filling her senses all at once in a rush with the adrenaline. Fang's lower member stood straight up with the party and poked Lightning, who choked with a sudden start of astonished disbelief. "I'm gonna be sick."

Fang covered her face with rose-prickled arms. "Not on me!"

"Fang!" Rhea squeaked, at Lightning's side with her watering pale, which she held up for her. "Lightning, use this!" Lightning closed her eyes and tried to steady her breathing. Fang hoped she wouldn't puke. "Oh," Rhea mumbled, getting so upset. "Oh…!"

Fang peeked again at Lightning, who seemed to be getting ahold of herself slowly. If she hadn't puked yet, Fang thought she might not as long as she took things easy. "Rhea, get the disinfectant and tweezers." Fang ordered, then when Rhea nodded, just to be sure, she added. "And no Witch-Time!"

Rhea scurried off away, completely visible on her own two feet.

Fang checked Lightning again and slowly lifted her arms to Lightning's shoulders, who's eyes popped open suddenly. "Easy," Fang coached, sitting up as she cautiously lifted Lightning. "Easy."

Lightning slowly allowed herself to be guided, then settled back on her butt to Fang's cautious easing. "Are you okay?" Fang checked, now that she was safe from her way of vomiting.

"…I'm okay," Lightning finally said, hand moving over her stomach with the other bracing from her knee to head, which was probably spinning. "Are you?"

"Don't worry about me," Fang brushed off. Aside from the prickers and a bruise the brick might bring, she was fine now and needed nothing.

"Thank you," Lightning rubbed her head and brushed back the dark locks of hair there and opened her eyes again. "For jumping for me."

"Don't worry about that either," Fang passed off, "I'm sorry Rhea Witch-Timed on you like that. She didn't mean to catch you in it."

"I don't know what happened," Lightning confessed, looking at the split rocks around her, then up at the broken balcony she'd cut through.

"It's your Umbra strength," Fang filled in for her confusion, "Umbra abilities come in strong alongside other talents. Rhea's Witch-Time must've accidentally triggered your super strength."

"I've never done that before," Lightning claimed, gazing up at the destruction.

"From what I've seen in Rhea, you've got to train into all your talents. The growth in strength should come in time as you manifest everything else, but if you've never used Witch-talents before… I guess it just didn't develop. What you did there's just a blurt of the power you can grow into, triggered by Rhea drawing you into hers."

"Do I still have it?"

"I don't know," Fang shrugged, then glanced at the chunks around them and picked one up. "Try to crush that." Lightning took the stone and squeezed it as hard as she could. A little of the stone dusting chipped in where it probably wasn't supposed to, but the stone didn't crack. Fang shrugged again, "It'll come back when you start training up your talents, don't worry. Rhea's strong enough to lift me already; yours will probably come in faster since you're already of age."

"Fang, I'm back!" Rhea called, dashing over with the materials in addition to some bandaids. "I'm sorry!" Rhea apologized as she ran back to them, "Fang, I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Lightning!" Rhea ran into the open-gated garden with their supplies. "I'm really sorry," she puffed again, looking distraught.

"It's okay, Rhea," Fang said before Lightning even could, "We're okay, see?"

"You have prickers!" Rhea cried in her upset.

"They don't hurt." Lightning assured the little one. Rhea still looked doubtful as Fang took the supplies from her.

"Rhea," Fang summoned the little one, "You know what we could really use?" Rhea listened attentively. "Some crystal water from that stream in the woods would do wonders for our healing. The special one you get for the roses, right?"

Rhea nodded importantly. "I can do that. I can get the water for you and Lightning."

"We'd like that," Fang assured her tenderly, "Why don't you do that for us, Rhea? And—you don't need to run. We don't want you getting hurt too, okay?"

"Okay, Fang," Rhea agreed, "I'll get glasses and be right back." Rhea scuttled away, not running, but walking quickly.

"You have a way with her." Lightning said quietly as Rhea returned into the house.

"She's a good kid." Fang answered simply. Lightning glanced from her to the door the little girl had disappeared into as Fang pulled free the tweezers.

"Is she yours?" Lightning asked, lifting Fang's eyes immediately.

"Don't say that out loud!" Fang chastised quickly, looking at the closed door, then back to Lightning. "She's too young."

Lightning lifted an eyebrow. "Is there an age where rape will be okay?"

Fang looked up at her with a stare somewhere caught between incredulity and anger, but the back door opened again before she could say anything. She motioned quiet with her hands and looked down at Lightning's arms. "Do you have any prickles to pull?"

Lightning held up her arms, which were clean. "You cushioned me."

"Good," Fang muttered, starting to tweeze them out of the backs of her arms violently. Lightning watched as the little one scurried across the long yard, then disappeared into the trees. "I'm not raped for no reason," Fang said quietly, quickly, "And other Yuns don't have it as bad as me. I meant what I said in there; the Yuns were happy to service the Umbra. Stop persecuting my people. They're not helpless little sheep."

"Were," Lightning picked out immediately.

"Yeah, before I came, they were happy to do it, okay?" Fang snapped at her barkingly.

"Before you." Lightning didn't understand.

"Yes," Fang growled, in such aggravation, she was pulling the thorns viciously. "I'm Ragnarok, not Fang," Fang saw her eyes widen and bulge and stay that way, staring wordlessly with a gape. "Yeah, even you recognize that name, huh? Didn't know the stupid men of Cocoon knew about me." Lightning didn't say anything. Fang glanced back up to see she was still staring. "Funny how that changes things, isn't it?" She went back to picking thorns. Lightning's barely-there whisper came on the hush of an exhale.

"You're the beast."

Fang smiled humorlessly at Lightning up from her arm. "That's what they call me there? Jeanne told me that was in the prophecies about me. 'The beast.'" She dragged up her sleeve, revealing a large, white patch over a darker mark beneath on her right arm. "See that seal? That's what the Umbra used to close off the 'beastly' part of me, so you don't have to worry about that coming out and ripping apart the worlds. Nope; now I'm just the baby-pumping machine." Fang took out another prickle. Lightning's eyes were still on her. She still hadn't said anything. "What?" Fang finally asked when it carried on too long, "You wanna jump my boner now too?"

Fang turned her eyes away, back to her lap where her stiffy jutted from between her legs, completely uncontrolled by Fang's own desire, which had nothing to do with these Umbra or anyone anymore.

Lightning uttered, a single syllable utterance like a mewl that barely touched the wind, which was carrying a sweeter scent now from Lightning.

"I can smell your lust growing for me, you know," Fang told her frankly, and Lightning looked horrified. "Don't worry about it; that's a handy effect I have on the Umbra. Just like you guys can't keep from turning me on with that 'scent,' I echo back a similar lust in Umbra. I imagine it's a little overwhelming for you, being newly exposed to me. It's why you couldn't look away the first time you saw me. Happens to everyone."

Lightning still hadn't spoken, but her eyes never left Fang's face, which was, frankly, a surprising feat for her people. It looked like she wanted to speak, but words alluded her. Fang sighed. The overwhelming bit for her first timers had passed a long while ago, but this was taking particularly long to sink in for this one. Fang thought she shouldn't blame her though, coming from a world of men. She must've looked like candied sex on a cloud to her.

Then another thought struck Fang that she hadn't considered before, but it might explain Lightning's stark lack of words. "You're not a virgin, are you?" She remembered Lightning blushing inside when Rhea had claimed she'd make a good pregnant mom. Jihl, on the other hand, seemed too confident for that. "Of a penis?" Fang modified, "You don't have to be scared, if that's the case. I can do you with Jihl, if that helps."

"No," Lightning finally whispered, almost soundlessly.

"No, you're not a virgin?" Fang asked, then wrinkled her brow. "That must've been unpleasant."

"No," Lightning said again, so quietly, "I don't… I don't want to use you for sex."

Fang snorted. Rhea appeared out the trees at the far end and both of them turned when they'd heard her footsteps in the grass. Fang waited quietly, giving Lightning a look as she tugged free the last of the prickers from her arm. She reached over her shoulder with the tweezers for the ones in her back.

"Let me," Lightning volunteered, seeing her struggling to find them at the difficult angle.

"You don't have to do that," Fang protested, not needing, used to, or comfortable with the offer of help.

"Don't be stubborn," Lightning chastised, taking the tweezers from Fang's fingers. "You can't even see your back." Fang looked at her again with that disapproving squint as Rhea hurried back to them, hurrying, but keeping the cups from overspilling.

"I have water!" Rhea announced, scurrying over to them with the large cups of crystal-clear water from the streams.

"Thank you, Rhea." Fang took one of the glasses as Lightning paused to take the other from the little girl. Fang chugged back the drink, then settled it down with an "Ahh," that made Rhea tentatively smile. "See? All better now." Fang gave the little one a smile, which she saw starting to adopt nervously. Lightning took a drink for the benefit of the little one. "See?" Fang said again, "Lightning's getting better already too."

"It's just water," Rhea giggled, feeling tentatively better.

"Spring water that Rhea brought!" Fang corrected, "Can I get a little hug for it?"

Rhea bit her lip, then threw into Fang, who breathed her little daughter in and settled, hugging her warm. She kissed the top of Rhea's head, then reluctantly let her go. "I'll tell mommies it was my accident while we were playing tag and run, okay, Rhea?"

Rhea's little smile grew so big. "You're the best, Fang."

Fang nodded to her little girl, "Just run along to your room for now, okay Rhea? I've gotta talk about Lightning with some boring, grown-up things."

"Okay," Rhea promised, then said, "I really am sorry, Fang."

"I know, kiddo," Fang echoed back, "It's okay."

"I'll see you, Fang!" Rhea said, then, "Bye, Lightning!"

Fang waited for her to disappear back into the house and the door to shut behind her. Lightning was at her back again, pulling out little thorns. Fang cleared her throat, relatively settled from her daughter's visit again. Fang caught Lightning's eyes over her shoulder. "Are you okay with it?" Lightning finally asked, her expected curiosity growing too big.

"The sex?"

"About being used to procreate," Lightning clarified, a deep sadness in her eyes when she asked. "Walking around this beautiful place, being expected to give Umbra children whenever they demand it of you…"

"Well, it's my place, isn't it?" Fang rubbed the back of her neck, brushing a thorn away. "I give immortal children, I should be a gift to our makers." She sounded so spiteful, even as she said it.

"…you shouldn't be expected to," Lightning said softly without her original hatred. "Not if you don't want it."

Ut oh. This one felt like a great humanitarian, maybe like her mom. That'd been well enough for Fang when she'd first been brought into this, and she'd always have appreciated Raina's outspoken choice about refusing to use Fang when this had first began, but it wasn't something Fang wanted again. It was easier when they treated her like breeding stock, lest the mixed feelings like in Cereza and Jeanne. Mixed feelings for everyone all around, and awkward sex.

Fang snorted. Everyone had sympathies. It didn't stop them from wanting a taste. "You say that like you won't be fucking me sometime this week." Lightning was quiet. It brought a bitter grin to Fang's face. "It's easy to say," Fang said, standing and turned. Lightning stared at her with sorrowful eyes. "Less easy to resist when faced with it, isn't it?" Fang took the tweezers from Lightning's hand. "Thanks for helping, but I don't need it. And frankly, I prefer it the other way, without your sympathies."

"I'll be in Rhea's room if you need me for servicing," Fang turned and walked away. Lightning didn't call her back.

**XXX**

"Sorry about that," Odile apologized for her, "You'll have to excuse Lightning for it. She's not particularly fond of her mother." Her mothers looked on her in confusion and concern. Odile was going to have to start at the beginning. "This might take some explaining," Odile said with a little sigh. Here came the tough part; it'd come with sticky emotions, and Odile wasn't particularly fond of speaking of what they'd done, but Lightning's snippy behavior needed its rightful excuse, and the time for these answers had been long since yesterday. Her mothers had waited long enough, even if this would be particularly hard to take. Odile remembered Araidne breaking down in front of her yesterday. The poor woman. She had no wish to inflict the same on these two, who'd been more than accommodating and treated her a thousand times better than what she got at home.

Odile reached out a hand to her nearest-sitting mother and laid her fingers over it. "Mothers…" she addressed, looking between them, "I don't want you to cry…"

Jeanne's expression was fast in dropping, and Cereza was at her side almost immediately, also in moving closer to Odile. "Jihl, what?" Jeanne asked in a hushed voice, not really wanting to know these things of dread. "What did they do?"

"It wasn't all terrible," Odile tried to soften, "I was allowed to have Lightning… it was something the men said Umbra have a weakness for, 'lusting' for each other, but I think it was just an allowance given to earn our compliance. They raised us telling us a lot of things… about you, the Umbra, about our dads. And, I didn't really care or anything, some of it sounded flimsy anyway, but Lightning… Lightning listened to them."

"What did they say?" Cereza asked, trying to find the depths of how far this went.

"Oh, you know," Odile passed on, "Stuff like how evil the Umbra are and how you slaughtered children and that," Jeanne glanced at Cereza uncertainly, "But the important things were about our dads. Important to Lightning, anyway. They said they were Cocoon men, and that you'd taken them against their will, forced them to impregnate you and such."

Jeanne's eyes pillowed. "Your fathers were Yuns. We can't even reproduce with men."

"I know that." Odile assured, "But Light's going to need some more convincing. She had ah… replacement father figure, I'd guess you'd say. And he was nice to both of us, I mean, but Lightning got warped into everything he'd tell us. So, she thinks the Umbra are a bit evil, and especially her mother. That's why she walked out."

Jeanne looked stressed, and Cereza, worried. "Don't worry, mums," Odile tried to assure, using the endearing term she'd heard from little Rhea and liked, "She'll come around. Lightning didn't like it there either; she's just got this loyal thing. It'll fade the longer she stays here; she already likes it better. She's just got a stubborn side, and, well… she's going to feel real crappy when she finds out men can't impregnate us."

"Jihl?" Jeanne asked, and Odile could practically see her heart throbbing in her chest.

"We were taught…" Odile started carefully, choosing her words for smallest impact. "That women were meant for reproduction, and if you failed in that purpose, you'd be killed or worse, made into a slave." At the quickly forming horror on both of their faces, Odile quickly added. "We weren't slaves! They let you try to get pregnant until you were twenty-five before determining that. But… " they still didn't look any better. Odile sensed rising despair. They were really hurt for her. No one but Lightning had shared that pain with her. "Mums, it's okay," Odile tried to ease them, "It's over now, and we're both here and free…"

There was a force of strain and reservation they were each holding in. Cereza squeezed around Jeanne's shoulders, who looked angry, so hurt, and enraged. Her fingers were shaking. Odile wasn't sure what she should say in a position like this. "Mums…" With both her mothers looking near breaking points, Odile resorted to a comfort she'd only given Lightning before in her tenderest of moments.

She pulled her mothers into a hug.


	10. Chapter 10

Lightning shut the door of the bathroom behind her and crumpled to her knees. "Majesty,"

_My child, _Sage's lyrical voice entered her head, _I feel your distress. What is wrong, sweet child?_

"I can't," Lightning whimpered, holding her head as she sunk against the wall pain. I can't do this, she meant to say. I can't do Ragnarok.

_Child? _Sage's surprise came in crystal clear from the other side. _You are having doubts about Ragnarok?_

"You heard that?" Lightning asked, startled he'd seemed to read her thoughts.

There was a pause on Sage's side, then, _w__hen we communicate, you only need to think hard enough, and be heard._

"Okay," Lightning whimpered, then tried to think only in her head. _You can hear me, Sage?_

_Yes, my dear, _Sage echoed back. _I am listening. What is this fear you have of Ragnarok?_

_I've met Ragnarok, _Lightning communicated over. _I've seen her. She's not a beast, but a woman._

_A woman?_

_Yes. _Lightning shut her eyes tight, hands laying against her forehead with the strain of it all. _A Yun, and one of the clans they've persecuted and repeatedly raped. Her, especially. She lives amongst the Umbra and services at their every need. I don't know what to do. I cannot rape one of their kind for her children—that is something she endures every day at the hands of these monsters, and I cannot stoop to their wickedness._

Sage's response came after a pause. _Is she un-seducible?_

_She's willing! _Lightning practically screamed back, panicked of heart. _That's the problem! She'll service anybody who asks. She's a slave to all of us, and practically dead inside._

_Sweet child… _Sage began like a lullaby in her head. _Are you expressly certain this is our Ragnarok? All of the prophecies foretell of a beast… not of a woman._

_I'm sure of it, _Lightning confirmed back. _She showed me a symbol on her arm, whited out, and said that the Umbra had blocked off her beastly half to keep her controlled. She is forever imprisoned, unable to unleash her power, and stuck servicing these cretins. It's abhorrent._

_They are vile and filthy things to capture their own as slaves, _Sage agreed. _The saddest plague between our worlds, the Umbra in that domain rule all without any empathy or morality at all. They must be brought to an end, their evil rule put at rest._

Lightning agreed. She just didn't know how to stop them like this. _What do I do, Majesty?_

_I must think, fair child. Give me but a moment. _Sage stayed quiet a long time in her head. Lightning grew heavy with growing certainty as the moments passed. Finally, when he'd been quiet enough to disappear, Lightning whimpered in her head.

_Majesty?_

_I am still with you, and thinking, my fair child._

Lightning bit her lip and dropped her head, burying it in her hands that were braced on raised knees. _Is there no other way? _Lightning finally asked, whimperingly, the question that lingered on both of their tongues.

_Hmm, _Sage pondered in her head.

_I don't want to be like them, _Lightning thought so hard, she was shaking. _I'm not a rapist._

_Child no, _Sage counseled. _Never consider yourself next to them. What they do is for pleasure, power, and reproduction of their own selves. The only reason you even think to consider it is to save the Yuns. The Yuns and all the people of that land, crushed under Umbra ruling._

_I don't think I can do it, _Lightning thought back. _I can't… inflict that on anyone._

_Sweet Child, _Sage eased. _You are so pure of heart. Perhaps I was wrong to send you for this task._

_What? _Lightning half-panicked, _No, Highness! There are no other of Umbra or Sage blood in your lands; it has to be me and Odile. You won't be able to summon enough joint power from anyone else!_

_But with Ragnarok being human… _Sage echoed back. _Is it worth one more strike to save a land? I cannot say._

Dread built within Lightning, coupling upon itself. She swallowed hard, but it didn't help the foul taste touching her tongue, a taste that was slipping through her like slow, crawling mud. Was it worth it to subject Fang to another woman? She would be able to return to Sage, who could milk her child and draw power and start an army from one being. She might not live to see the day Sage conquered their villain, but Ragnarok lived forever. Whatever time Sage would take to build a strong enough force, Fang stayed subjected to more Umbra every day. And she would, whether or not Lightning slept with her, she'd stay a slave to these women.

But if Lightning carried back her seed… one day, she might be free. Sage could do it. With Ragnarok's baby, Sage would build a force and one day, Fang and every other Yun might be free from this mess.

_My darling,_ Sage started, perhaps seeing those dread-determined thoughts. _I cannot ask—_

_It has to be done. _Lightning echoed back, feeling cement weighing down her bones. _Without it, Fang has no chance._

_Is Fang the name of Ragnarok, my sweetest girl of pure heart?_

_Don't call me that, _Lightning didn't mean to think it to him, but Sage echoed with soothing words back.

_The guilt you feel only magnifies the goodness of your sacrifice._

Lightning felt sick; her stomach churning all at once.

_I wish there was a way to save you from this, my child._

_You'll make it right, won't you, Sage? _Lightning finally asked, _You'll free the Yuns when you can?_

_Not a thing in the world will stop me from it. _Sage promised. _I love you, my sweet child…_

Lightning desperately echoed it back. As soon as she felt Sage's soothing presence fade from her mind, Lightning gave in to her revulsion and threw up.

**XXX**

Odile hurried back to their bedroom, fists clenched tight in rage. After feeding her mothers a few more details they could've done without, but asked for, that annoying voice had echoed in her head like a boom again. She hadn't heard Lightning at first, but her woman's voice had started coming through a little into the conversation. And Odile wasn't happy about what had been said. She wasn't happy one bit.

Entering the bedroom, she found it empty with a closed door leading to the bathroom. Odile went for it, where she had last found Lightning in the previous communication session they'd had. She opened the door and found her girl kneeling, slouched, resting her head on an arm on the closed seat of the toilet. She looked sickly pale. "Lightning!"

Lightning gave her an exhausted glance back, then closed her eyes again. Odile rushed towards her and wrapped her arms around her girl from behind, crouching there as she pulled Lightning in snug. "Lightning, what's wrong?" Odile asked, though she knew. She had heard every bit, but it'd be easier to handle Lightning this way. If Lightning knew she'd overheard Sage, nothing Odile might say would dissuade her. "What happened?"

"Ragnarok's human," Lightning said, degenerated. "She's a woman."

"Lightning, get up with me," Odile ordered, pulling Lightning to her feet. "Let's get you to the bed," Odile said, helping her navigate over that way. There happened to be a cup of water on the dresser too, so Odile took it and gave it to her woman. "Wash your mouth out with that."

"Fang's Ragnarok." Lightning revealed bluntly, sitting on the edge of the bed. Odile closed the bedroom door and sat beside her. "We have to rape Fang for babies."

"Lightning," Odile took her unoccupied hand, inwardly seething at the snake for 'letting' Lightning come to this conclusion. "We don't have to do anything."

"Yes, we do." Lightning stared at the opposite wall blankly. "Fang's Ragnarok." She repeated again, "We won't get pregnant if we don't rape her. And Sage won't have the power to beat them and free her without it."

"Light…" Odile inwardly sighed, "Maybe you need a break from all this." She took Lightning's cup from her other hand and put it aside, then pushed Lightning back to lay on the bed. "With Sage and Ragnarok… we've barely been here a day." Odile scooted back on the bed with her, encouraging Lightning back to match her scoots. "We've got time to think on this, you know."

Lightning rolled on her side to look at Odile, who stared at her tenderly. "I don't want to be one of them."

"No one's making you, Sweetie," Odile encouraged, pushing back some loose strands of Lightning's pretty hair. The further Lightning was distanced from their mission, the better. Her girl just needed time to adjust and see these people weren't all terrible as Sage had made them out to be.

"We have to." Lightning said.

"Hey, shhh," Odile coached to quiet those troubled eyes. "Stop thinking about it, Lightning. I mean it."

Lightning looked at her with sad, sorry eyes. "We're going to do to her what they did to us for the same reasons."

Well, not exactly, Odile didn't venture to say. The things they'd endured under the men in no way compared to what fucking Fang would be, but Odile understood Lightning's sickness about it. Her woman had a good heart, and she didn't want to follow in the footsteps of the 'monsters' around them. She just needed to chill for a few days, drop this Sage questing nonsense, and realize the new world they could stay in indefinitely.

She just needed a little distance from Sage and his poison first. Which meant keeping her away from this mission of fucking Fang that would only make her sicker with guilt and heavy things, all the while still pretending she was for it until Lightning settled that hot head of hers. "Lightning, you need to think." Odile tried to reason, "This is all coming together very quickly. I'm sure, given some time, we'll think of another way. Right?"

"What other way…" Lightning mumbled, "Could there possibly be…"

"You never know 'till you think on it," Odile shrugged, "We've got time, Lightning."

"The Yuns don't have time." Lightning said, eyes still frosty and away in space. "They keep suffering."

Odile snorted. Lightning looked at her then with brows coming together. "Do you see Yuns being picked out in the street and forced to fuck Umbra in the street wherever they demand it?"

"Kale was ready to fuck us."

"A willing, grateful Yun off the side of the road is a little different than a man pointing to us at random and expecting us to bend over for in public for him."

"She was only willing because she was petrified we'd offer her sisters to Ragnarok if she refused."

Odile sighed deeply. "It's different, Light."

"I don't see how." Lightning's brows furrowed in tight. "In our world, we live in fear and subservience to the men. In this one, the Yuns live that way to the Umbra."

"You're conveniently forgetting the Yuns 'fear and subservience' comes at a much smaller price. Most of the Yuns are all willing, there are only eighteen Umbra, and they're treated just fine. The Umbra also provide them things like cities and talents."

"And the men gave us food, a home, and each other." Lightning replied.

Odile looked at her incredulously. "Are you actually defending them?"

"No," Lightning snapped, "I'm drawing a comparison that it's the same."

"To _vastly _different degrees, maybe in some world of your head."

"Then how do you explain Fang?" Lightning challenged. Odile almost groaned.

"Fang is _one _Yun in a planet of them, and she's Ragnarok. Of course the Umbra would want to reproduce with her. How would you feel watching your children die if you lived forever?"

"So Fang's just to forfeit," Lightning interpreted, "And because she was born of prophecy, she deserves to get passed around and sicced on her own people. Is that it?"

"You're crusading," Odile pointed out bluntly, "And you only know _one _Yun who is treated that badly, and she has special reason surrounding her circumstance for it."

"Yeah?" Lightning challenged, "If that's so, then why are other Yuns afraid of her? Why are the unequipped Yuns being fed to her while the others live in fear of them? And where are they going afterwards?"

"Maybe she likes the kibbly taste of Yun flesh." Lightning slapped her. "Hey!" Odile barked, rising with her on the bed, cheek stinging.

"She's a person, not an animal." Lightning hissed between her teeth.

"You're the one that wants to fuck her,"

Odile's other cheek burned with a resounding slap. She jammed Lightning to the wall, not ungently, and grabbed her wrists. "Stop it."

"You stop it," Lightning snarled, lifting a knee to jerk between Odile's legs. Odile lost her wind as the spot burned. Lightning pushed her back to her knees on the bed, where Odile glared at her and rubbed the tender spot between her legs.

"Bitch."

"I'm trying to help the Yuns."

"By bringing in armies of men so they can be treated like us too?" Odile growled at her. "Great plan."

That paused Lightning. "…the men wouldn't come in to conquer."

"Really?" Odile challenged, "The overpopulated men of our world who share us twenty-to-one aren't going to come into a world of beautiful women and try to conquer them? Right, Light."

"They've been trying to conquer for years," Lightning pointed out, "And they haven't made any progress."

"And you think Sage charging in with his army of mini-roks and men wouldn't make better progress if they did defeat the Umbra?"

"No," Lightning shook her head firmly, "Sage wants the Umbra gone, that's it. He knows the Yuns are oppressed, and he's promised to save them. Any army of men coming in to conquer wouldn't have his backing. He's promised to protect the Yuns, so they would be his enemy too, if anyone went to attack them."

"And you believe that." Odile nearly spat.

"And I believe… what are you saying?" Lightning asked suddenly, kneeling with her on the bed. She grabbed the front of Odile's robes and questioned. "What the hell are you saying, Odile?"

"Nothing," Odile almost groaned. In order to have any sway with Lightning, Lightning had to keep thinking she stood with Sage too. "I don't mean anything."

"Are the Umbra getting to you?" Lightning accused, searching her face. "You're believing their lies, aren't you?"

"Of course not," Odile protested with false conviction. Lightning released her shirt and gestured to the room around them.

"You know this is all a façade, don't you? Sure, the Umbra live like this, but their people are petrified. Remember Kale, Odile? She was afraid to step into her village with us."

Odile wanted to smack her right back. She reluctantly went along with it instead. "I remember."

"You're still with me, right?" Lightning triple-checked, doubts and fear clear, to Odile anyway, on her face.

"I'm still with you, Light," Odile promised, raising on her knees to her. "I'm sorry I caused a fuss." Lightning still had that little glimmer of mistrust. Odile hated to use it against her, but she couldn't lose Lightning's trust in any way. Lightning would never make it out of her head with just Sage there 'on her side.' "I guess I just don't want to fuck Fang either, you know."

Lightning's eyes softened immediately, the hit struck true. Regret, pain, and sorrow flashed through those eyes. "We have to." Lightning said sadly, truly believing it. "It's the only way."

Odile submitted to a hug with Lightning's apologies for getting scared and angry. Concerning Lightning, a frontal assault would not work on her pretty, warped little brain. Odile would have to find another way.


	11. Chapter 11

"What did you tell them?" Lightning asked nervously, walking down the long hallway aside Odile to meet Jeanne and Cereza in the back yard.

"The truth," Odile shrugged, "Most of it, anyway. And I told them we've been on the run in Cocoon the past five months, hiding out here and there, stealing what we needed. I thought it'd make more sense why we don't have more sores and bruises or diseases."

That had been smart. Odile was always quick on her feet to think like that. "Good thinking."

"And we supposedly hopped a fal'Cie that drifted to Gran Pulse, by the way." Lightning nodded. Odile had given them a good background to work with. It reassured her again of Odile's commitment. She took her lover's hand as they made their way downstairs. Odile offered a smile her way, which calmed Lightning.

Maybe her lover had had a little slip up before, getting involved in every beautiful thing around them, but she was still with her on their mission. Lightning had been scared senseless otherwise, thinking she might be alone in this. She'd just have to keep an extra eye on Odile to make sure these creature comforts and lies weren't seeping into her psyche. It'd be an easy trade for anyone to give up what they'd had for this, but Lightning was dedicated to doing what was right, and she'd be able to pull it off as long as she had her partner in this. Little else mattered besides Odile and their mission.

"They're probably going to tell us to strip, you know." Odile said offhandedly. "You should take off those buckles from your wrists."

Lightning glanced down at her leather straps, a piece she hadn't removed yet but for bathing. Slender pieces she used simply for covering, they hid a variety of scars from lacerations and tearing on occasions that her wrists had been bound during sexual sadism. Odile had them too, but hers were far fainter. Men usually went to her for a different kind of sex that Lightning had never mastered as well, despite her attempts at teaching it for relief. Lightning just hadn't mastered the discipline of faking that Odile had.

"Why?" Lightning asked, leaving the wrist pieces in place. "They don't need to see it."

"They're probably going to tell you to, is all." Odile shrugged. "Suit yourself."

They came upon Jeanne and Cereza where they'd been waiting in the back yard, surveying the damage Lightning and Fang's fall had inflicted onto the roses. Lightning remembered as she came upon it and paled a little. In her distress over Fang, she'd completely forgotten to say anything about it.

"Looks like somebody took a little dive from your balcony," Cereza said, gazing up at the smooth railing where it was now cracked and broken open.

"It was an accident," Lightning started to saw in answer to her and Odile's bewilderment. "Rhea and Fang were— "

"Calm down, Lightning," Cereza chuckled. "This kind of thing happens quite often; you don't need to worry about it. Fang told us already."

Damn. In her neglect to say anything, it'd been put upon Fang to speak in her silenced place. She might've gotten in trouble for it. The Umbra were being kind about it, sure, they were trying to win over their children and guests, but Lightning couldn't have known if Fang had paid a price for it that she hadn't. "I'm sorry," Lightning apologized to the Umbra, if just for Fang's place. "It was an accident."

Odile looked at her with raised eyebrow interest. "Don't worry," Cereza assured again with a warm smile. "No one was seriously injured, and that's what's important." Odile gave her the eye that she'd ask later.

"Are you girls ready?" Jeanne asked kindly, and they started walking.

"Where are we going?" Odile asked on their little walk leading away.

"We all know the varying talents of the skill," Janne explained their destination, "But Thalia is by far our best healer. She will be able to detect any anomalies, injury, or malfunctions and reshape them. Jihl…"

"We'll be alright, Mum," Odile offered to reassure, "Lightning and I used to steal things from the apothecaries while we were on the run. So, I don't think we have any other diseases that we haven't cleaned up."

Jeanne seemed strained to hear it said so casually, and she lifted an arm around Odile's shoulders. "We'd like to check and make sure you're clean and okay. Have you… have you had a gynecologists exam before, Jihl? Lightning?"

Odile nodded for them both. "Quite frequently. You won't startle us with anything invasive, Mum."

"And Lightning?" Jeanne checked to make sure with her as well. "You're okay with an exam as well?"

"Yes," Lightning answered as expectedly. Though she was loath to take any help from these Umbra, an exam wouldn't hurt things. If she or Odile did have any diseases left, she didn't want to pass those on when they took Fang for her seed.

"Umbra are immune to illness, plagues, and diseases." Cereza informed them, "Gran Pulse is mostly immune to diseases, actually, but we did notice in our children that they got sick from time to time. You girls absolutely know you caught diseases in Cocoon?"

"Pretty sure that's what those sores were," Odile answered half-casually again. Jeanne seemed perturbed by this. "Maybe it's something in the men," Odile shrugged, "You guys don't have outbreaks of sickness or sexually spreading diseases?"

"On rare occasion, we've had illness come through, nothing startling," Jeanne informed with a shake of her head. "But sexually passed diseases specific to targeting that… no." Jeanne exchanged a glance with Cereza.

She shrugged. "They deserve it." The comment made Odile smile, which she exchanged with her mother standing there. Jeanne stroked through Odile's hair, seeming more ponderous of it.

"Mums," Odile asked aside of all those things, "How do you get your hair like that? I can barely even tell it's hair; it looks like you're wearing leathers."

Cereza grinned widely and even Jeanne seemed distracted from her deep ponderings. A long bundle of strands of Cereza's fine black hair extended and tapped Odile's shoulder, drawing her eyes "We can teach you these things."

Odile was purely delighted. Lightning watched the hair disappear back into the outfit suspiciously.

They reached Thalia's after crossing a gorgeous, tile-padded platform and Lightning found herself before another piece of art of a house. They entered the grand entranceway, Jeanne and Cereza's footsteps clicking on the smooth marble of the open way. "Thalia, darling," Cereza called out to the space and fine furnishings decorating the vast room. Her voice echoed. "We're here."

"I'm in the second bedroom," Thalia called back, registering to Lightning's ears faintly. Cereza glanced at her and Odile.

"Did you hear her?"

"She said the second bedroom," Odile filled in and grinned when her mother did with a wink.

"You couldn't hear her?" Lightning ventured curiously.

"We blessed our Yun people with extreme senses we do not have," Cereza confirmed, "It was a gift for their tribe when we could not reform our people completely after the Sages' trickery."

Lightning frowned at this, but they were in the 'bedroom' before she could give it much concentration. Inside, a metal platform built into the wall marked a steel table of sorts. There were cupboards on one of the walls and a sink underneath. Chairs scattered about the place, the room transformed from its original purpose. Two women stood inside, one Lightning recognized from yesterday with a huge, long ponytail that reached down to her legs before connecting into her mahogany outfit, and another woman too short and tan to be an Umbra with rich, multicolored browns with a few blonde highlights in her hair.

"Whoa," the shorter, but not really short, woman yelped in surprise when they walked in, a growing bulge becoming immediately obvious in her pants, where Odile's eyes fixated. "That's intense," the woman said, gripping the counter as they came into the small room. "Never been in a room with five Umbra before," she remarked with an unsteady glaze in her eyes.

"Styx," Jeanne recognized in surprise, "I didn't realize you'd be here."

"I'll be fine, Elder," Styx waved off, "Just gimme a minute."

"I thought the girls might be more comfortable," Thalia explained her presence, "With a Yun to help with the examination."

"Oh, we're comfortable," Odile assured with her eyes on target. Lightning gave her an annoyed look, then nudged her, "What?"

"Okay, I'm good. I think. Mistresses," she gave a little bow to all those who'd just come in, "My name's Styx." Styx greeted, stepping up with a held out hand to them. She offered a small, tentative smile. "No hugs, please."

Odile looked up to those pretty, ember-speckled chocolate eyes with a dancing grin in her eyes. She took Styx' hand happily. "Jihl,"

"And you must be Mistress Lightning," Styx offered her hand again, "It's a pleasure to meet you both," Odile stood completely charmed with her front-pointiness. Lightning almost growled at her. Was she going to act this way with _every _pretty Yun they saw? Noticing the direction of Odile's gaze, she added, "I apologize for the... distraction."

"Don't," Lightning advised. Forced into a room with more Umbra than her body could take, it wasn't the poor Yun's fault for being that way. As long as Odile stopped staring, ugh. At the surprise and a tint of hesitation probably from fear in her eyes, Lightning added. "It's not your fault."

"Thank you, mistress Lightning. You are all-forgiving," a little more at ease, she gestured towards the metal bench, "Please, take a seat, both of you."

"We'd love to," Odile answered for them graciously, and went to do so. Lightning grabbed her wrist, to which Odile's eyes rolled. "Chill out."

Chill, she says. Lightning was doing nothing of the sort and linked their fingers tightly.

"Girls," Jeanne addressed them both again, "Cereza and I could stay during, if you want, or leave for the examination… whichever you're more comfortable with."

"You can stay," Odile allowed casually, "We don't mind."

"Have you girls had examinations?" Thalia asked, washing her hands under the sink.

"Yes, yes, we're familiar," Odile passed on, "Can Styx give me mine? I'd feel much more comfortable with her."

Lightning choked and almost slapped her. Odile should be grateful that she didn't have her Umbra strength to squeeze her hand with.

"Oww," Odile pulled her hand away, giving Lightning a pout. Jeanne was shaking her head, but when Cereza caught Odile's eye, she winked.

Styx gave Odile a cautious smile, but nervously glanced at Lightning, who was seething. "Styx is our vaginal specialist," Great, Lightning thought, "She'll be giving both your examinations, and I'll inspect otherwise health issues, and heal you if need be."

"Ooh," Odile cooed, "In that case, I want to go second!" she looked at Lightning as if this was supposed to earn her brownie points in some way. Lightning rolled her eyes. Odile half-hugged to her side, then turned and asked importantly. "Should we take our clothes off now?"

"If you would, please." Thalia nodded. Lightning was not pleased.

They stripped of their robes and Lightning desperately wanted to cover Odile with her hair, but Styx kept her eyes down anyway except when she looked at their faces, ignoring everything else respectfully.

"I'm just going to feel a little and ask some questions." Styx told her, only looking at her face, which Lightning had to give credit for because Odile was busily giving her eyes. "That okay?"

"I'm going to do the same," Thalia informed Odile too, "Looking and feeling for anything that might be wrong or off, okay?"

Both of them nodded and proceeded as instructed for their examinations. Lightning opened her legs for Styx, well aware of Odile's eyes on the point of Styx' entry between her legs, then flicked to Lightning's face. "Excuse me if these questions are invasive," Styx said, surprisingly long fingers like Odile's feeling deep as any man had been, "I'm just trying to get an idea towards diseases."

"Go ahead," Lightning permitted.

"During vaginal intercourse, do you experience any pain?" Lightning could feel her rubbing her walls with an almost-surprising gentleness.

"Yes," Lightning answered naturally.

"And Jihl?" Styx asked too.

"Of course," Odile filled in as well.

"Even with sex outside of men?"

"Yes." Lightning observed worried gazes on Odile's mothers' faces. What was that about?

"What kind of pain is it?"

"I don't know, a burning?" Lightning surmised, "Sometimes it stings or feels like there's too much pressure. Isn't that just the sex?"

"If you're having rough sex, it could be. Is it something you experience every time?"

"Of course." Lightning said, frowning.

"Any itching?"

"Not since we treated our sores, no."

Styx brow furrowed. "You feel very swollen, Lightning. I'm going to press in a place. Tell me if it hurts and rate it on a scale of one to ten, okay?"

"Okay," Lightning shifted as she pressed into a soft place, "Three," Lightning reported, then flinched when it felt like nails somewhere else, "Seven," she cringed as her fingers pressed again, like needle pricks, "Nine— nine!" she shifted to alleviate it and clenched, "Shit, are you using nails?" Lightning bit her tongue hard. Odile touched her shoulder and stroked it as Styx finally pulled free of her. The stinging didn't go away.

Styx glanced at the parents, then asked, "Have you had sex without sufficient vaginal or other lubrication, Lightning?"

Lightning snorted at the stupid question. "It's like that with every man."

Styx nodded, returning back to the sink to wash her hand. "You have intense vaginal scarring from it and… I felt some incisions, like the slight raise of healed-over cuts?"

"I didn't control what they wanted to use," Lightning responded defensively.

"Lightning…" Jeanne was suddenly beside her with horror in her eyes, Cereza looking at Odile, who offered up her innocence.

"I didn't have a cutter," Odile filled in for Cereza's fear, "That guy just liked Lightning."

Lightning was glad Odile had never shared him with her, but she wished she hadn't told them that. Jeanne had a hand on her shoulder and was looking at her in pain and fright. Lightning didn't know what to say and thought it awkward. Then, Jeanne drew her in, arms on both shoulders and hugged her to her chest. "I'm sorry," she whispered, kissing her head and cradling her. It felt… nice. Like when Sage touched her on rare occasion and held her like a parent should. Lightning wasn't sure what to do about it and lowered her head when Jeanne finally pulled back. "I'm sorry," Jeanne said again quietly.

A chill went up Lightning's back and she tried to shake it off. "So," she tried to steer away the attention, "What's wrong? We're still not well or something?"

Odile rubbed her back. "The prolonged inflammation and pain register suggests there's still disease," Styx reported sadly. "I'm sorry, Lightning."

"Then I probably have it too," Odile sighed, "We rub each other almost every time we have sex."

Lightning went pink at the unexpected revelation and looked sharply to Odile, who didn't seem to immediately realize anything. "What?"

Styx made a difficult noise in the back of her throat.

"Oh…" Odile took the moment. "Oops."

"It's nothing I shouldn't be able to handle," Thalia filled in over Odile's boo-boo, "I can take care of the scarring too. Is it… the same for the other entries of penetration?"

Lightning lowered her head. She didn't want to talk to these perfectly flawless people anymore, she and Odile the only festering sore spots in this room of perfection. It'd been a long time since Lightning last felt it, but she was shamed. Her eyes burned with it.

They're not perfect, Lightning reminded herself to grasp that conviction. They were rapists; proof in the pudding of Styx' reserved manner and Kale's fear, worst of all being Fang's entrapment in a constant rape cycle. And whatever they were doing to the impregnable Yuns with Ragnarok… Lightning didn't want to know. These people were being sweet to her and Odile only because a happenstance of their birth carried Umbra blood. Whether they were Yun or Cocoon or whatever else, Lightning didn't even know anymore, but it didn't matter. If they'd been born without the blood, they'd have been oppressed as the Yuns. Lightning had a rare and hated circumstance of growing up as a sex slave in Cocoon with only two bright spots in her life. She understood how afraid the Yuns were under the polite, servicing demeanor more than anyone, and she couldn't let these instances of kindness get into her head.

Lightning wasn't able to save her people on Cocoon from oppression, but there was still something she could do for the Yuns, and she would. She would help their people, no matter how sweetly they were otherwise treated. People suffered for this, and Lightning knew it too well to lose herself in the partaking of their pleasures.

"Can you turn around, Jihl?" Thalia was asking by the time Lightning pulled out of her head enough to hear. Odile cast her a wary gaze as she obeyed and Lightning's eyes cleared with the gentle push of Odile's hair away from covering her back. Lightning stiffened with Thalia's small intake when she found the mark on her shoulder. Odile glanced at Lightning, worried, as Thalia reached a finger for it.

"Don't touch that!" Lightning hissed unexpectedly, startling everyone but Odile, "You can cure our scars and diseases, but don't touch that!" No, that mark couldn't be removed, Lightning wouldn't allow it. Even if they weren't just going to burn it back on them when they got back, Lightning wouldn't have it touched. It hadn't been a pleasant experience getting it, no, but the symbol itself was from Sage. It meant they were his children, his disciples, and people of Cocoon. She didn't know if the Umbra knew what it was, but she wouldn't return to Cocoon without it. It would forever be her and Odile's stamp of Sage's most treasured.

Everyone was quiet. Odile looked down with a sigh. "Father gave it to us," Odile said, "Not our real father, obviously, but the one who treated us like we were his children."

Thalia looked at a loss for words. Even Styx glanced up briefly to see what was being spoken of. There was a long moment of quiet. Jeanne stepped in first to speak. "Okay, Lightning." She said, surprising Lightning. "We won't touch it." Thalia opened her mouth to speak, but Jeanne waved her off before she could. "We'll leave it as it is, Lightning."

Lightning looked at Odile, wondering what she'd said about their 'father' that Jeanne would back off so easily, but she was grateful for it in this instance. They wouldn't touch the mark of the real man who had fathered Lightning growing up in her hellhole life. That was good.

"You can turn around again," Thalia told Odile. "Lightning… can you take off your wrist-leathers for me?"

Lightning did as she asked, just grateful for the mark to be left in place. When Thalia observed the ligature marks on her wrists and ankles as well, along with other scrapes Lightning had picked up over time, she asked her to lie down, which Lightning did into Odile's lap. Odile stroked her hair back easily as Thalia said to Lightning. "This is going to feel warm and a little funny, like a tickle. Some places might get especially hot, depending on how much time I need to spend healing an area of taking care of an illness. You might entirely warm over as the healing takes care of the disease in you. This is normal; okay?"

"Okay," Lightning readied for it, Odile's comforting face above her. Thalia began; a warm, green glow emitted from between her fingers. She first worked on the marks at Lightning's ankles, which Lightning couldn't see, but as Thalia had warned, they grew warm in small circlets of healing. Lightning tried to check, but she still couldn't see because Thalia was in the way, who moved up her body gradually until she reached the top of Lightning's legs. Lowering her hand closer, she poured the green straight into her between the crevasse of her legs. Lightning twitched when it touched her, entered her, then sought her broken pieces to mend. More than warm, it was growing hot in there as the magic spread all over inside her.

"Oh," Lightning peeped as that hot feeling grew almost blistering between her legs. She arched in the uncomfortable feeling, trying to get away from too much of it, but Thalia kept pouring it into her, mending deeper and deeper as her innards changed under the magic, scars retracting in, swellings deflating, Lightning could physically feel it all with that heat. "Odile," Lightning whimpered, eyes closed tight. It wasn't all unpleasant and painful, but at such an unnatural feeling for things to be changing that way, too fast, combined with that heat!

"I'm right here," Odile murmured, stroking her hair, "I've got you, Light." Lightning twisted at another pocket of it. She could feel it in the other places, seeping into all her entrances down there until the warmth encompassed her to overwhelming degrees. Odile touched her cheek and moved it as she twitched with such discomfort, but at rest. It was like the magic was filling her all the way and her body accepted it, but Lightning didn't know how much more she could take, she felt so full already and warm in all the places. She jerked and Odile grabbed her up by the shoulders as her mouth laid over Lightning's in a tasty, erotic, distracting way that Lightning savored. Odile was familiar in this foreign entry, and Lightning wasn't giving that away. Odile took her mouth in a loving tender and kissed Lightning's fears away.

Lightning gasped when she parted from her, eyes fluttering back open. The heat had died down inside her to a quickly-cooling warmth instead. And Odile smiled above her like an angel that took Lightning's breath away. "Thanks," Lightning said, grateful for the distraction in that alien feeling everywhere.

"Always happy to kiss you naked in front of a crowd of people, including my mums."

Lightning tinted a little pink, well aware of the eyes on her now and the suspicious absence of their Yun physician. "Let's see how you do," Lightning growled back, not angry.


	12. Chapter 12

"It wasn't supposed to be arousing," Thalia tried to say again, "The only thing I can think of is, maybe because they needed so much healing…"

"Thalia, please," Jeanne dismissed, "We're more than grateful for your healing our girls today."

"I'm glad I could help them," Thalia agreed, "Jeanne... I'm sorry for the news, how bad it was."

Jeanne nodded, "We'll discuss a plan of action in council today. I still have a hard time believing mortal men were able to stage their disappearances."

"Whatever you suggest in council, you'll have my and Ariadne's support."

"Thank you, Thalia," Jeanne bid away, "When she is settled in enough and Ariadne well again, perhaps Jihl might come for a visit, if it would do her well."

"She'd like that," Thalia agreed on her way out. "May blessings come your way, Jeanne."

"They already have," Jeanne said as she walked away. Jeanne settled in a chair exhaustedly, taking only a precious few minutes that she expanded with Witch-Time once or twice. Then Cereza came down the stairs and was sucked in to her third attempt.

"Dangerous to be doing that around here yet," Cereza reminded, "Banisters all over quake."

"Cereza," Jeanne breathed out easily, standing, "How are they?"

"Still washing up, but they'll be down along soon. Rhea's quite excited to train with them in the coliseum after lunch."

"She got along with Jihl at breakfast; I think she'll grow into her more as we go." Jeanne walked over to the oven, set head-high with the cupboards and looked in at the roast, the cold-lamp crystals bright with the heat of the oven to show it clearly, but as she stared at it, she only saw the marks on their wrists and ankles, the brutality of man raping them over and over again, a man she had allowed to live, who had _cut _Lightning inside her and humiliated her daughter for years in the most invasive way possible! That brutality was all she could see and it shook her heart in its immortal cavity, bad as when she'd lost her sisters by the thousands, she hurt so much for them. Jeanne couldn't take it like this. She couldn't function or think. It weighed in on her like a huge, crushing thing, dragging her deeper and deeper into misery and pain. She wasn't going to be able to pull it through like this.

And then arms came around her and wrapped her in warmly. Cereza's familiar press at her back, that voice she'd depended on all these years since the war whispered in her ear. "Jeanne,"

Jeanne closed her wet eyes and leaned into her lover weakly. "I'm so tired, Cereza. It all makes me… so tired." Cereza squeezed her around the belly gently. Jeanne's mind raced. Between her new daughter, the council, Fang and the other city, everything was going wrong. Rather than help Fang away from all this, they were breeding a new city of Yun mothers to Fang's kin. The Yuns lived in fear of them, and her Umbra sisters were happier than ever with Fang, happy enough to breed her forever with the hopes of more Ragnaroks from the Yuns. They were dominating their own people, and Jeanne couldn't do a thing to change it. And now, their half-Yun, tortured children had returned back from the grave. How long would it be before only Ragnarok's brood was considered deserving? She already needed another child from Fang, already behind Roma, who carried another of Fang's babes. "When did it get so bad as this?"

Cereza kissed her cheek gently, tenderly with all her love. "We're going to make it through this, Jeanne."

Jeanne wasn't so sure as that. "There's a war coming," Jeanne spoke softly, nowhere over a whisper. "And it won't be us and men." Men's petty attempt with the border skirmishes had always been a laughable attempt, little grabs for power in a larger world to supply their people with women. The Umbra had made sure not a single one of theirs was taken over into men's lands; made sure of all, but for their own, it seemed. Jeanne still couldn't see it, how they could've gotten away with that. It wouldn't have been possible for one child to be stolen, let alone to trick the Umbra about their deaths, stealing _five _of them.

Something darker was at play; Jeanne would find out tonight.

"We'll make it," Cereza said, more strongly again.

Jeanne wished she could believe like her in that.

**XXX**

Odile stared at her pristine body in the mirror, still wet from the bath as Lightning combed through her damp strands with a brush. Her hair came out beautiful, silky and smooth, but Odile's eyes weren't on the strands. They had fixed on something else, something of far more beauty than that.

Lightning stood gorgeous. Flawless, without a knick or scar marring her whole front, the ligature marks were gone from her pretty wrists, which weren't hidden anymore under buckles. Her pale skin reflected in the mirror without a single blemish, rid of every scar that'd been inflicted but for that singular mark on their backs. Eventually, Lightning would come around to removing it too, but for now, facing her with her head slightly bowed as she stroked through the middle of Odile's long hair, she was perfect.

"You're beautiful, you know."

Lightning glanced up at the unexpected compliment to meet Odile's eyes in the mirror. "Not as beautiful as one of your precious Yun penises, though."

Odile grinned in delight and turned to her moody girlfriend. "Baby, please," she chuckled, stepping into Lightning's bubble to slide her arms around Lightning's waist. "You're the one I take to bed."

"You stare at them like you've never seen a dick before." Lightning accused with a glare.

"I'd stare at yours too, if you had one. A woman with a penis, Light? Come on; tell me you're not curious about that. You see how they bulged even bigger than men?" Lightning's eyebrows furrowed together. Odile's eyes gleamed "You know, I get pretty hot when you get all jealous like that." Odile pulled in against her and rubbed.

"You sure that's not for their penises instead?"

"Light," Odile purred, lifting her hands up Lightning's back as she pressed to her warm skin, "You're my only one that matters, luv." Fingers twining to the roots of her hair, Odile kissed her cheek with reverence.

"You could stop looking at them so much," Lightning grumbled. Odile lavished her, kissing back to Lightning's ear.

"I'll have you tonight, luv." Odile's tongue tickled her ear, making Lightning shiver some. "In that big, warm bed, sheets soaked from our fun."

"You know I just showered, don't you?"

Odile chuckled, teasing tongue flicking her one last before she pulled back with a grin. "Remember your promise, Light." She nudged her shoulder casually in passing, just to give her a scrape of her skin. "I'll see you tonight."

"You'll see me tonight," Lightning grumbled. "You'll see me in two minutes!"

Odile cast a gaze over her shoulder, eyes smiling as she looked at Lightning, "You should be grateful," Odile licked her lip, "That you don't have a penis."

Lightning shivered as she left the room; Odile, delighted with her woman.

**XXX**

After a brain-stopping lunch which Lightning continued to ill-understand how their food tasted so good, they were off on the way to this 'coliseum' Jeanne spoke of, a place she said where Umbra went to train and fight each other with both for entertainment and the purpose to hone. Lightning didn't really get the first bit until she and Fang walked into the giant, stone-erected bowl of giant archways, more benches lined in rows back than there existed Umbra, a couple of which that'd taken recent damage like the poor railing, and a giant, cleared field in the middle for which they could train.

"It's such an open area because our fights span the width of it," Jeanne explained, "With our animal transformations especially, we take up the space, sometimes add obstacles or things we can use, but it's a place our accidental destruction won't hurt anyone in our daughters' training especially."

Lightning could hardly believe how vast it stood; from their end of the bowl on the ground layer of the coliseum, the far wall of the circlet stood away more than 200 yards away. What could eighteen women and their children possibly do with this much space?

Rhea chirped happily in light of their awe. "What kind of kitties do they turn into, Mum?"

"Turn into?" Lightning asked.

"As Umbra, the gift of certain transformation magic is ours to wield," Jeanne explained, "The feline is our natural transformation; each Umbra, when they've learned the talent, can transform into the cat of their according calendar day of birth."

"Wait," Lightning paused her, "What?"

"It's quite simple," Jeanne told them, "You were born under waxing crescent of the Leopard, so naturally, it's the animal you can transform into."

Lightning didn't quite understand. She knew the phases of the moon, of course, but under the Leopard? "You judge your months under cat names?"

Jeanne frowned. "The world of men does not?"

"No…"

Cereza scoffed, "It's only surprising that they figured their own system."

"So, how do you measure time and the days?" Lightning asked inquisitively, brows fixing as she tried to understand this.

"We don't measure the days," Jeanne supplied, "There's little point in that when the peak of our strengths depend on the moon. You know the eight phases of the moon in a month, correct?" Lightning nodded, "Our passage of time is determined by that," Jeanne told her, "When the moon is at its first quarter, we know a new month has just begun. When it reaches the waxing gibbus, we know that time is almost passed for a new month to come in."

"What of the animals?" Odile asked as Lightning tried to process this in. Did they not measuring the passing of days inbetween but by the changing shape of the moon? It was the most curious way to judge time. "Something about cats? What feline am I born under?"

"You were under the waning gibbous of the Caracal," Jeanne told her, "That would be your animal of transformation as well. Full-blooded Umbra are able to take other shapes as well, but the talent seems to dwindle a little bit with our children going down. I'm not sure if you would be able to take more than the shape of your feline."

"Can you run down the months with us?" Lightning asked, still trying to figure this out.

"Starting in our winter month," Jeanne prefaced, "They follow as the Lion, Ocelot, Jaguar, Tiger, Cheetah, Lynx, Cougar, Caracal, Sevral, Oncilla, Leopard, Panther."

Still have twelve of them, Lightning mentally counted.

"So, I'm older!" Odile suddenly spouted with a growing smile.

Lightning rolled her eyes. "Four months is hardly anything."

"It's four moons older than you," Odile delighted.

"Your birthday's next month," Cereza nodded, spreading her grin. Next month, Lightning thought. That was something. Despite Odile's unnecessary glee at being the older one, they had never known their months and only aged themselves when the year had passed. It was kind of nice to know the exact-ish 'moon' of these things.

"Guess that's why you always liked to follow my lead in sex."

Or not.

Rhea giggled, smiling big. She nudged Odile and whispered. "I knew she was your lady-friend."

"She is, indeed," Odile confirmed with a smile to Lightning, who grunted irritably.

"Fang, can you help Rhea's strength exercises today? No Witch-Time, Rhea. Not unless you're on the other side of the stadium."

"Okaay," Rhea grumbled. Fang nodded quietly and took the girl away into one of the under-cage rooms for some props to help her train.

"Okay," Odile asked, refocusing, "So, how do we do this?"

"Well, neither of you have tapped into your Umbra abilities," Jeanne started, "They're there, but holstered and untrained. You haven't tapped into them yet, so they've stayed dormant inside you."

"How do we wake them up?"

Jeanne and Cereza exchanged a glance, then Cereza said, "We've learned a variety of ways with our other sisters' daughters and Rhea, but since you two are already of age where your talents would be much further into development, we'd like to try something." Fang deposited a pillar roughly the full size of Jeanne and much thicker of solid rock beside Cereza with a couple of other things, which they ignored for the time being, though Lightning was caught in staring after Fang with this seemingly casual feat of strength.

"Sit down," Jeanne nodded, doing so herself, which made their legs look incredibly longer than their stretched, full body length already. The Umbra body was built differently from that of a normal person's, not only in height, but in their legs most of all, which stretched three or four long feet before the normal torso-to-head length of a body. It made their sitting stature incredibly leggier than how long they seemed already. Odile grinned and Lightning glanced to see a smoothly sitting Cereza propped with one lone leg out, the other posed and propped at a half-lift, heel to the ground in a very showy fashion. Jeanne swatted at her as she sat on her knees, "Flexibility will be trained with time. For now, do you girls know what meditation is?"

They taught them. Jeanne coached Lightning and Cereza, Odile as the Umbra brought them into a relaxed state of mind where all other things drifted away. It was nice there, and Lightning found it soothing as everything around them seemed to drift into the abyssal nothingness of unimportance. Lightning hovered there, a floating thought about Odile coming and passing through as if a cloud carried it. Time didn't matter here; it was just relaxing.

"Okay, Lightning," Jeanne's floating voice came over her, "Open your eyes slowly, and be settled."

Lightning did as she asked as a distant, similar commanding echoed to Odile from Cereza. She opened her eyes to a warping, purplish phase of Witch-Time, Lightning and Odile already sucked in. Lightning gasped and started to move, but Jeanne was quick to stop her with a hand to her shoulder and calming, "Shh, Lightning, shh," she eased, "Don't move fast or you'll get sick again."

Lightning settled back softly as a returned dizziness and churning came to her in this state.

"We're trying to get you used to Witch-Time," Jeanne advised them both, "And to trigger your other abilities with it. Just relax in this one; we'll go a couple of times before we try other strength feats in this state." Lightning looked over at Odile, the quick movement threatening to undo her, but then settled again when she saw her lover touching at the purple-warped air around them. She saw Lightning, caught her eye and smiled, then slid her fingers between Lightning's in this state and held it as the world fizzled out around her back to normal again.

When Lightning and Odile caught their breath again coming out of it, they proceeded to rinse and repeat the process a couple more times without touching anything or moving too much. When they claimed to be ready again after the third instance, Jeanne had them stand carefully and walk through Witch Time a little bit. By the sixth, Lightning's heart was racing and they had to take a much longer break, but Odile wanted to go on, and Lightning would admit her curiosity. Jeanne told them their strength would be there if they reached for it or slipped, so on the next attempt, Lightning and Odile both pulled for the amazing Umbra ability of strength and together, they moved the pillar in rolling, which cracked a little down the middle when they pressed too hard.

Coming out of Witch-Time again, Lightning dropped exhaustedly to the ground and panted, every nerve on high gear as the dizziness from so many stints returned in a rush. Odile leaned in beside her, tired too after their great display of abilities, and Jeanne and Cereza sat down with them again to bring them back to the relaxing state in meditation. Lightning almost fell asleep, it felt so good to feel that again.

Though her mothers said no more Witch-Time, by the end of their cool down, Odile was still anxious and wanted to press on. Jeanne determined hair-commanding would be a task not too demanding, and they both watched the demonstration of Jeanne and Cereza commanding their hair around while they talked about how to reach for the power that would let them do all these things and more, and how their strength would eventually grow to their natural power that they'd temper and use whenever they needed it. It was all very fascinating, but when Cereza encouraged to try the hair-extending, Lightning politely refused, despite Odile's pleading to join her in trying. She sighed when it reached no true end.

"She's shy, is the problem." Odile told them, "She thinks her hair's too girly."

"I am not," Lightning barked, "I'm just not expending my efforts to useless, fanciful things like growing out my hair."

"See? Shy," Odile confirmed to her mothers.

Lightning sat against the high wall of the ring and watched while Cereza told Odile how to 'know' her hair as another living thing, a part of her, and command it. Lightning's eyebrow quirked when she finally got the first twitch of her strands to cooperate. Jeanne slid down to a seat beside her and together, they watched Cereza and Odile goof around with what they could manage at this early stage, with Cereza poking at Odile with strands of hair while she tried to catch them with the meager, short-lived twitches of her own. Rhea was quick to scuttle over and join the fun, then became a victim of Cereza's long locks when she picked on Odile too much and got pinned. Odile grinned and joined the fun, tickling her captive little sister, who squealed.

"Lightning," Jeanne spoke after a time of watching, drawing Lightning's eyes. "I've been sending searches for your mother, and Cereza and I will join them too, eventually." Lightning's fingers tightened in the sandy-like top layer of the floor of the arena at the return mention of her mom. Her eyes ticked to Fang, who Rhea pleaded for to help, and who went to assist her daughter in the struggle. Her daughter she wasn't allowed to claim or hold to her breast and squeeze as her child. Her daughter Jeanne and Cereza had raped Fang for, despite this easy 'playfulness' going on in that arena.

"Okay," Lightning said evenly.

"Is there anything you want to talk about, Lightning?" Jeanne asked gently, "About your mom or… anything?"

They could talk about Fang being used as a sex slave or an instrument of fear against her own people, Lightning thought darkly. It strengthened her inner conviction; they could be kind people, but nothing excused the rape of another human being, and Lightning wouldn't either. "No, I'm okay," Lightning answered, not needing to hear it as she watched Fang with a belly filling of lead. She and Odile should make it happen as quickly as they could. It'd take awhile in tries, of course, so the sooner they did this, the better, while Lightning had a clear head. She and Odile would ask of Fang after this, she decided, stomach curling. It was the only way.

"If you ever need to talk to us… something you aren't ready to say to Raina when we find her or... about anything, Lightning."

Lightning looked at her, not needing the offer extended. "Thanks," she muttered, mind on other things. After this, she and Odile would do Fang, and hopefully, Fang's legend of Ragnarok would impregnate them quickly.

Lightning, sick of heart and body, watched the poor woman she needed to rape.


	13. Chapter 13

**XXX**

"Lightninggg," Odile moaned, craving that delicious body with every fiber of her wet being. She clenched hard, braced against the wall, and wished her lovers fingers were there to squeeze.

"We're still in the hallway." Lightning protested stubbornly.

Odile couldn't take it. Flushed, dazzled, and dizzied by the scent that lingered from the practice time so near to Fang, with Lightning _right there_walking with that sweet ass, making her inadvertent wetness worse with every step, she physically could not take those last few steps being so soaked and tight. She needed something in her and she wanted it to be Lightning, so she grabbed her and dragged her against her body with haste. "Pump me," she ordered through the frantic kisses to those perfect lips, dragging Lightning's hand to the lip of too-tight jeans of borrowed pants. She pushed Lightning's hand down there where there was crafted a suspicious spaciousness between the legs of the jeans. Thankfully, she had no panties, else the urge to cry would've overwhelmed.

"Holy fuck," Lightning cursed through her desperate makeout, "You're so wet."

"Pump," Odile ordered, already squeezing thighs over her fingers in desperate urge to encourage her fingers. In another moment, Lightning entered her and Odile almost lost her head in the bliss. "Ohh," she moaned, unusually submissive to Lightning, but she didn't even care. Not this time, when the need for a good fucking caught her so strong and unguarded. She squeezed over Lightning's fingers enough to hurt and braced with Lightning's body, legs untrustworthily weak. Odile could barely sense for this glorious haze of lust that'd come over her; she only knew she needed to fuck, and Lightning was so perfect, smelled so good with fingers jamming into her. Where was the pain? Odile didn't even miss it in this crazed need for Lightning. "Harder," she mumbled.

Bracing her up with her other arm as Odile clung around her neck, practically humping her hip with the two fingers still working deep inside her. "Are you okay?" Lightning asked.

Odile could barely hear her and wouldn't have answered if she could've. Lightning was her goddess of sex right now, and Odile would do nothing to break this terrifically beautiful phase. She ground hard with her legs situated so good around her hip and the top of her leg, probably hurting Lightning's fingers, but nothing had ever felt this good in her life. Odile couldn't even process to break; echoing Lightning's sweet name in her head, she wondered, and hoped she was saying it. Then a jam of those fingers caught her so hard, Odile twisted over them and cried out, pleasure crushing her through the roof as all blinded Odile in breaking.

Odile clung like a koala bear, firmly attached to Lightning, who braced most of her weight on her soaked hip and leg as Odile hugged her around the neck, bodies pressing through blasphemous clothes as Lightning tickled her so perfectly in that state. "Ohhh," Odile moaned, resting her head to shoulder, "Oh, Lightning. I love you sooo much."

Lightning stroked through her long, sweated hair. "You know I feel the same way."

"Ohh," Odile almost hummed, "Mmm," she pulled Lightning's wrist from out of the lip of her pants and took her fingers lazily, sticking them in her mouth to lick like lollipops. "Mmm." Lightning kissed her head and Odile could smell her scent.

"We should go into the bedroom."

"In a minute," Odile mumbled, cradling her face to Lightning's sweet breasts. "Mmm…"

"Better not fall asleep like that," Lightning warned.

"Kiss me and I won't," Odile said with a lazy grin, so content with her woman.  
"You'll need to pick up your head from my breasts."

"Only if you promise to take off your shirt for me."

"Maybe when we leave the hallway where you're making a total mess of our scents, I will."

Odile grinned and picked her head up. Lightning's eyes were so pretty and blue. She lifted enough to kiss those beautiful lips, mouth so perfect for her own. Lightning savored her and tongued her taste. Odile delighted in being pushed back to the wall, Lightning's sweet, sweet scent exuding more with their every touch. She was heaven come to cloud her, and Odile didn't even feel a burn. She loved this so much; she loved Lightning.

Someone's throat in sudden clearing made them both break away to see Fang, boner high and prominent as she lowered her eyes from them. "Oh, sorry," Fang apologized, starting to pass them behind Lightning, "Was just heading to my room."

"Wait!" Lightning blurted, pausing Fang in her steps of passing. "Stay."

Odile pouted up at Lightning, but her eyes were getting that look of haunting, so Odile let it go and simply kissed her cheek again. "Yes?" Fang asked dutifully.

"I—in the bedroom," Lightning stumbled in her conviction, looking worse as she said it.

Just a hint of surprise registered on Fang's features at Lightning before her gaze flipped over to Odile, then closed up again politely. "Which bedroom would you prefer? Mine or yours?"

"Yours," Odile ordered for Lightning, who held her conviction, but struggled with her guilt. She wouldn't allow it to go a different path, now that the opportunity had presented itself so cleanly, so Odile would do what she could to make it easier on her love.

Besides, she wanted to be the one to spoil Lightning on their big, comfortable bed, not with someone else.

Fang's eyes ticked to Lightning again, then back. "Follow me, then." Fang turned and started down to her room. "I'm assuming you want to go together?"

"Yes, we would," Odile answered again for Lightning's guilt-trodden heaviness. "Turns are fine, but I'll be with my lover through it."

"Of course." Fang answered stiffly, opening the door to her room and holding it for their entry. "Do you have a position you particularly enjoy? And would you like it rough or gentle? I can provide the lover's experience as well, if that's your tastes."

"That sounds perfect, but we will be the ones kissing each other. And we'd like it gentle." Odile ordered, figuring it'd be a little easier for Lightning that way, who paled more by the minute. Odile has no desire to give her the experience of being raped by a dick again. "Fang, can you give us a few minutes and work up your addicting scent? Lightning's shy, and I'd like to warm her first."

"Right," Fang started to go, "I'm in the bathroom when you need me." The door shut behind her with a slap. Lightning winced with it, then looked to Odile with pleading eyes. "Is this right?"

"We can back out at any moment," Odile assured her, hoping, but knowing better to think Lightning would reconsider. "We can leave right now, Lightning."

"No," Lightning turned her head away, looking to the bed pushed in the corner as her guilty resolve returned in the absence of Fang. "We have to do this."

"Come on," Odile pulled her conflicted love over to the bed and pulled her down to sit with her. "Let me help, Light." She could already smell her scent, whether that was from their kissing of Fang's effect, it didn't matter. Odile used that to ease her, sliding into Lightning's lap as she cupped her face and kissed her. Lightning kissed more desperately back. Odile snuck a hand to the hem of her shirt and started to lift it, breaking only briefly from Lightning to pull it up and away.

Lightning stared at her with sad, frightened eyes. "Don't be scared," Odile coached gently, oddly reminded of the first time she'd undressed Lightning after she'd taken it from her first brute of a man. Lightning had been frightened then too, frightened and scared about being touched after what had happened. Odile had promised to take care of her then and always would. "I'm right with you," Odile told her as she reached around her back for the bra clasp and undid it. "All the way this time. You don't have to be afraid."

Lightning clung to her, turned so frail again in the face of Fang. Odile settled her to the bed and pulled her bra away; she kissed both of Lightning's breasts gently and smelled the sweet issue of Lightning from between her tight legs. "No one's going to hurt you this time, Light."

Lightning squeezed her eyes shut as Odile began removing her jeans. "We're going to hurt her."

"No, we're not." Odile chided, "Fang's used to this."

"We were used to men."

"We're not going to be rough with her, Light." Odile assured. "Men didn't pleasure us, and they were invasive. We're not going to do that with her, okay? Just a bit of gentle loving between friends, and I'll be here for you or her to make it better." Odile discarded her jeans and panties and began removing her own clothes as well.

"You smell good," Odile said, pulling her shirt free as the returning tickles of warmth came to her too.

"I can't control it," Lightning almost protested softly, thighs twitching as warm lust oozed between her legs. "It's…"

"It's overwhelming, I know," Odile soothed, hovering over Lightning naked. She kissed her then and Lightning responded, mewling softly as her thighs flexed. "We echo the same kind of scent back at Fang," Odile eased, "So she enjoys it too, and it's not hard for her to get it up." Odile stroked her face as Lightning's eyes opened up to her, still scared, but a little more glazed this time around. Odile understood what she was feeling; with Fang in just the other room, her effect echoed. Odile had felt it when she and Fang played with Rhea before she'd jumped Lightning when she pulled home with her. "Just think of the little girl you're going to have, and how much she'll do for Fang." Not that Odile expected Fang would make them pregnant very fast, Yuns did seem to have a better chance at it, if what her mothers had said was to believed. And Odile saw no reason why not to; they were here from the birth of Yuns after all, so maybe Fang did have it in her.

Either way, if they got pregnant or not, Fang obviously valued her little Rhea, and would any other kid she had like that. Lightning would definitely have come around by that point, so the issue was moot because she'd like it if they had one, and if not, if Lightning still felt so bad about it, Odile would make the effort to apologize on her behalf.

The _things _she did for Lightning. Odile smiled as Lightning twitched again. With Fang's constant effect, she might even enjoy this, and they'd both finally see a Yun penis. She was just overthinking it now, in that messed up little head of hers. It'd soon be clear. "You ready?" Odile asked her quietly, cuddled to Lightning's side to keep her warm.

"...Okay."

"Fang, you can come in now!" Odile summoned with a raised voice. The bathroom door opened. Lightning's eyes widened before she ducked in her head to Odile's shoulder at an utterly overpowering, overwhelming issue of scent came with her. The bulge in her jeans was so prominent again, and Odile tell she'd worked herself up in the bathroom because the air was just intoxicating, snapping them both into a daze in seconds. Lightning and Odile watched speechlessly as it washed over them. Fang was at the bedside in seconds, dazzling them silly with how alluring she smelled and tasted on the air, every part of her screaming orgasm. Even Lightning seemed dazed in looking at her.

"Are you fans of scars or scarring?"

Odile blinked, barely comprehending her as the rising need to fuck washed through her like a dizzying wave. Fang sat on the edge of the bed, looking from Odile to Lightning with alluring green eyes of beauty, eyes that sucked them both right in to lean. "My effect on Umbra, combined with the scent is often overwhelming for half-breeds; that is the overwhelming feeling taking you now. I will wait if you need to fuck each other from it."

"No, it…" Odile lost her train of thought with another involuntary clench that had her legs twitching.

"It'll get easier to cope with and fall into the lust when I am inside you," Fang advised, "Which of you would like to go first, and how? Or I can please you both together to sate the lusts until you are ready again." That! Odile desperately wanted that, indeed. The growing bubble of warmth inside her had started oozing from between her legs like it had Lightning's, but then Lightning gave her a little push from her side and whispered.

"You go,"

Odile glanced back at her to see if she was still okay and found Lightning in a similar haze, still with a tint of that fear in her eyes, but hazed over just as badly as her or worse. Fang glanced over at Lightning and told her, "Lots of couples get off just by watching, kissing, or touching their lover when they're with me. There's nothing to be afraid of about it."

Odile wondered if she'd heard, but the thought whisked away in an instant when Fang's viridians turned back on her. "Top or bottom?"

"Top," Odile almost salivated looking at her bulge in those jeans. While penis-fucking on men had always been less than pleasant, that first Yun they'd seen with one had fascinated Odile, especially with their demeanor. It wasn't enough to stray beyond flirtations that irritated Lightning, of course, but Odile did find them fascinating, and now would taste one with her lover. Men had never even fit her, smaller than the toys they occasionally used to play with; Odile wondered if Yuns would better. "I want top."

Odile was used to topping. Men always had fantasies and masochism had been a favorite with her, despite the occasionals who wanted to dominate such a queen of the topping, but for the most part, Odile got their kind and knew topping like little others. It was nothing like the loving topping she reserved for Lightning, but the reputation had saved her a good many instances of bottoming sex, which Odile considered winning against man, at least.

Fang nodded and started to remove her jeans. Odile watched the movements with Lightning as she wormed out of the clothing, revealing boxers underneath and long, tan legs marked by scarring here and there on her legs. As she did so, she asked again. "Do you like to scar or scarring?"

Odile exchanged a glance with Lightning. "Not particularly."

Fang nodded with it as she kicked off the rest of her jeans. "I have scars all over my body. Some Umbra don't like to see them and request me to keep my shirt on. Do you have a preference concerning that?"

Odile glanced at Lightning again, who pulled up beside her on the bed facing Fang. "Do you have a preference?"

Fang's brow furrowed as she glanced at Lightning over Odile's shoulder. "No."

"You're not… more comfortable one way over the other?" Lightning asked tentatively.

"No."

"Well, you can keep it on. We don't need to see your privacies." Lightning said then, and Odile knew it was an attempt to preserve Fang's dignity. Fang only nodded and started removing her boxers covering the last bit of her bulge from view. Even Lightning's eyes dropped as Fang removed the clothing, and the sweet issuing scent of both of them nearly drove Odile crazy. More startling yet, when Fang turned to them so they could see, Odile's jaw dropped dumbly as she stared at Fang, pointed prominently.

It was the longest, thickest dick either of them had ever seen, measuring more than a full hand-hold if Odile wrapped her fingers around it. And more than that, at the high point of her shaft and the skin above and surrounding it, Fang was completely and utterly hairless and beautifully bare. Odile had never seen a dick so clean.

Fang glanced at both of them looking at her dick in wonder. "You can touch it if you want," she offered freely, Odile already lifting fingers to do so. Fang checked between them again uneasily. "…Neither of you are virgins, right? To a penis?"

"We are to this kind," Odile admitted, touching it shamelessly to cradle in her fingers.

"So clean," Lightning agreed, then was the first to look up at Fang again. "Are all Yuns hairless, Fang?"

"Yes, all of Gran Pulse is except Umbra," Fang answered, not seeming perturbed or bothered at all by Odile's fondling. "Are they not with men?" Fang glanced down then and corrected, "Sorry; not my business."

"They're disgusting," Odile answered anyway, still in admiring, "And not half this size in sating. She's bigger than our instruments, Light." Lightning coughed and pinkened.

"Shall we begin?"


	14. Chapter 14

"Shall we begin?" Fang asked, glancing at Lightning, "Or would you like to fondle first too?"

"No, you can start…" Lightning mumbled. Odile gave her a smile as they scooted back on the bed for Fang to lie down. She kissed Lightning briefly, which made both of them squirm, they were so warm, then grabbed Lightning's hand for holding.

"You can sit in front of her if you want." Fang told her, "Most couples do for kissing."

"I'm okay," Lightning declined, though Odile wished she would take it so she could grab her girl and kiss her into oblivion on Fang. Odile squeezed Lightning's hand in anxious excitement, wanting to know how Fang felt inside with that thing and wanting more to share it with Lightning. She moved on her knees above Fang, who lay there idly. "Don't hurt yourself," Lightning said seriously, glancing down at Fang pointing up and ready. Odile grinned and pulled Lightning to her side to kiss as she lowered onto a ready Fang and waiting.

Bliss enveloped her. Odile gasped as her opening strained in stretching, even as wet as she was to take in Fang. Lightning separated, but kept hold of her hand as Odile barely parted enough to take in Fang. She slowly, achingly sunk down squeezing, and then choked when an unexpected clench caught her squeezing, Fang fizzling in by the tip. Odile had to stop for a full minute before her clamping walls relaxed enough to try to push deeper on Fang. "It's okay," Fang said in her squeezing with her eyes shut tight over that giant penis barely in. "That happens a lot to Umbra."

"Odile?" Lightning asked as she brushed back long strands of her hair in easing.

"Thisfeelsfuckingamazing!" Odile moaned in a breath, barely able to contain herself as she pushed greedily for more and more deeper, getting caught blindsided when she clenched by happenstance again, only three ways down on Fang and ready to come for her blinding juices squeezing. "Lightninggg," Odile moaned, in complete lack of control here. She loosened again and unexpectedly slid Fang's last few inches, gawking as she stretched so suddenly with Fang pressing her deepest pockets like no fleshy thing had ever done. Odile keeled, leaning towards Lightning with how much she was filled, then Fang bumped her hips up once, just the once, and she was blinded as her innards squeezed too hard to take. Odile flew into the unexpected orgasm and cried out, flattening.

When blinding pleasure had finished seizing her, Odile was doused filthy in her wet, feeling a hand on her back stroking through her hair, she finally opened her eyes to see she was lying on Fang, who watched her calmly. "Did you come in me?" Odile puffed breathlessly, lost for how fast Fang had taken her over the edge.

"No, but I can now," Fang offered simply, "If you want to feel it."

"No, no, no," Odile rejected, "I just got your hard in me; let's wait 'till you deflate it."

"I won't deflate if I come in you."

"You… you won't?" Odile panted a little for air.

"No."

"Odile?" Lightning asked, the one stroking her hair. "You okay?"

Odile realized her hand was still limp in Lightning's, who was at her side and crouched over to soothe her. "It's amazing, Lightning," Odile breathed, "She's so big, you squeeze without even thinking or trying."

"You came pretty fast," Lightning agreed.

"She's that filling. I can't wait for you to feel this; this is how a penis should feel, Lightning." Odile closed her eyes to rest but a moment. "Okay, Fang, come in me— but only if you can keep hard without withdrawing."

Fang's hand went to her shoulder as she jerked again and Odile squeezed. She inhaled, gasping breathily as a steaming hot pouring of Fang's seed rushed into her and doused her sticky walls, flushing into her as she filled, overflowed, and leaked like a fountain the way no man had ever gushed from her. Odile moaned as the mere, intense flush of heat had her quaking and squeezing, squeezing uncontrollably over that meat. "Ohhhh," Odile mourned so sadly, "I wish you had a dick, Lightninng. Ohhhh."

Lightning paused in stroking her hair, probably adorably pink again. It took a long moment before Odile was able to pull herself back into a sitting position on Fang, and was helped by Lightning to it. She smiled at the Yun who had so graciously provided pleasure. "Thank you, Fang. Let me know when you're ready again," then turned her shining eyes back on Lightning.

"I'm ready," Fang announced, drawing both their eyes at once.

"What?"

"Whenever you are," Fang told her, "I'm ready."

"No, you're not."

Fang frowned. "Yes, I am."

Odile snorted. "Prove it."

Fang nodded down to her dick. "Ride me."

"I will, then," Odile answered back, lifting slightly off of Fang. Her walls suctioned so hard without her, Odile had to immediately shove her back in again, which was all kinds of disorientingly arousing and pleasing. Odile picked up a pace with her that had Fang wincing on occasion. Hah! She had her. The cocky Yun couldn't keep up and would have to admit her defeat in unreadiness for this slow, easy pace that had Odile humming with glee— Odile seized so unexpectedly, twisting as Fang gushed into her again and pounded her squeezing innards with that bundle of meat so hard, she knotted, and then Odile was coming all over Fang again.

"What the hell?" Odile groaned, barely able to sit up right as heat flooded and doused her so good again. "The fuck did you do that?"

"Odile…" Lightning pet her arm.

"You smell so good, Lightning," Odile said, wincing. "Please get on her with me. Please." Lightning glanced at Fang, unsure. Fang merely reached for Lightning and tugged her to plant both knees overtop her head, which made Lightning squirm and start to move, but then Fang tongued her and she bucked. Odile grinned as she keeled over gawking as Fang's arms lifted to her hips to support her, and Odile fast saw why. She grabbed Lightning by the shoulder and mashed their mouths together quick, only getting a moment before Lightning jerked, cried out, and came, supported up by Fang's arms on her hips so she wouldn't fall on Fang's face.

Below her, Fang started undulating like a wave before Odile could even lift on her own from watching Lightning. Odile rose on her body, riding her with such a pleasant jerk onto Fang with every bounce. Pleasure seeped. Lightning squeaked again, barely breathing as Fang didn't stop, knotting her over again to scream as a second orgasm crashed into her. Odile was almost weeping in minutes as she desperately clutched her woman, barely bracing her enough to keep her upright. Lightning panted and smelled so sweet, face so beautifully scrunched and gawking in her awe-stuck high. Odile loved it and rode that beautiful dick.

"Harder," she could barely breathe as Fang picked up the pace, pleasure haunting her every crevasse that mounted until she was filled, filled beyond human measure and weeping. Still, Fang pounded into her soaked, tight innards so hard, she gasped, then broke, pleasure exploding through her like a blinding disease, and even then, Fang wasn't done, somehow pulling straight out of her cutthroat squeeze to slam into her again with a hot explosion of her seed. The friction of Fang's warmth jolting into her tightness in an explosion of heat pitched Odile straight into a second-layer orgasm, screaming.

She hovered in that bliss for what seemed like a long time before outward things started to register again. A hand on her shoulder. Heavy panting that was all her own. Sweat and sweet scents mixing like an elixir of the perfect aroma of sex. When she finally managed the effort to open her eyes again, it was to find her most beautiful, perfect Lightning who breathed haggardly, puffing, sweat-drenched and lovely. Odile grinned lazily and pulled Lightning towards her over Fang to embrace exhaustedly. "I love you."

"I love you too," Lightning breathed unevenly, still so high in her daze, which Odile understood perfectly. Everything felt so good in the world, and Odile, sated so bad. Sated bad enough to start unsaddling that beautiful horse she'd been fucking. "I need a break," Odile claimed, groaning as her innards suctioned, squished, and almost sloshed as she started to pull free of Fang, "Ohhh," Odile groaned, then and there wanting to hump right down on Fang again, so hesitant to remove that beautiful beast from her.

"I can go slower," Fang offered casually, "If you want another time before Lightning."

The offer stopped her so seriously with the craving, Odile hovered half on her in utter indecision, wanting Fang again so badly.

"Are you okay?" Lightning asked, glancing back over her shoulder from their body-pressing embrace where Fang wiped her chin of the lust she hadn't caught in her mouth from Lightning. Odile sunk back down on Fang a few more inches and groaned, not wanting to let that beautiful beast go as she pressed inside again so perfectly.

"I'm fine; and I'll be able to do you after, don't worry."

Lightning looked back at her with heavy eyes. "Odile?"

"One more," Odile asked, begged, pleaded, then had the grace of mind to add. "Missionary's best for impregnation."

"Okay," Lightning stroked her cheek and said again, "I love you."

Odile smiled and kissed her lovingly in response. Lightning cautiously unsaddled Fang, and looked at her sadly. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Good to go," Fang reported, though Odile knew it wasn't what she'd meant. "You want missionary, bottom?" Fang asked her.

"Yes, please." Odile asked, already salivating for it. "Gentle and slow. I want to see if you can do this right for Lightning." Fang nodded and sat up, hand lifting around Odile's back and bottom as she turned with her and softly lowered with Odile back to the bed, arms braced around her. "Are you ready?" Fang asked.

"Wait," Odile requested, motioning to Lightning. Fang lifted an arm accordingly as Odile tugged Lightning in at her side.

"You can still fuck comfortably like this?" Lightning asked, worried about the extra space Fang had to reach over her too to pump with every lowering.

"Of course."

"Okay," Odile said, Lightning's fears alleviated, cuddled comfortably next to her woman with Lightning shifted a little under her shoulder. She missed the press of that giant, juicy dick. "You can start."

Fang did so and it was wonderful. She practically did pushups with every easy-going thrust into Odile, which felt like heaven on a cloud, especially next to Lightning, whom she got to kiss with Fang's luxurious, spoiling pace. She warmed over inside just as hotly as if Fang speeded, but at a beautiful, comfortable, gradual rate where she could fill every pocket of her being being filled with pleasure as she lovingly kissed Lightning. This was exactly what Odile would have Fang do for Lightning, Odile decided, pleased, and reaching that point of overflowing heat in the most relaxed way possible. She wanted to tell Lightning she loved her over and over again like this, it was so perfect. And when she squeezed over Fang enough to gush again, Fang came into her, filled, and seeped in the most blissful, easy going pleasure, something she'd only ever attain with Lightning.

"Do that," Odile told her, sated in such a calm manner that she didn't mind when her body squelched with Fang's leaving, "Do exactly that to Lightning. That was perfect." Oh, Godsss, Odile felt so sated like a full kitten, she could just fall asleep, but she wouldn't for Lightning, who still seemed a tint afraid. "Don't worry," Odile tried to sooth her, "It's a really easy pace. It's not hard for you, is it, Fang?"

"Not hard, no."

"You're really going to enjoy this," Odile assured, the soft loving being the perfect penis-replacement memory for Lightning. Unlike Odile, she'd gotten the worst kind of reputations with the men, being so pleasing and taking everything they had to give. It hadn't been easy for either of them to take in dicks every day, but Odile considered Lightning a lot more scarred than she. Fang's sweet loving would come like ecstasy.

"Are you ready?" Fang asked again, dripping, glistening dick hovering over Lightning.

"Yes," Lightning said, not meaning it, but she would be. Odile watched the varying expressions of incredulity and gawking that took her face as she oozed with Fang's entry. Fang had barely made it in before Lightning was coming as she had been, and when she'd finished, Odile told Fang to come in her too so she could feel it. She watched Lightning's face first, flushing with ecstasy, then eyed the immense overflow pouring from her gaping, enlarged entry that'd barely managed to part for Fang.

Lightning moaned and Odile snuggled her. Fang let her settle a little further, then began pumping in. Lightning quaked, getting so high, so easily, at such a simple pace, but nobody blamed her, least of all Odile, who couldn't resist stroking Lightning, squeezing her breasts, and kissing her as she tumbled headlong into the pleasure Odile knew she would like. Lightning panted easily and Odile told Fang to come when she did, so Fang came three more times into a sweat-drenched Lightning. On the forth, with Fang's easy pace, Odile fingered near her folds and toyed with her button for extra bliss. Lightning barely managed to scream as she came again with Fang. Lightning whimpered and panted, fragile enough to break. "Okay," she finally whimpered, "Ineedabreak."

Odile waved Fang off her and pointed to the other side of the bed, "Take a break there a few minutes," Lightning gaped, squishing, missing Fang so badly as she pulled away.

"Odile," Lightning quivered, so taken in her ecstasy.

"Did you like it?" Odile asked, brushing back sweaty strands of hair.

"She's amazing," Lightning claimed, delicious scent so tempting. She opened her eyes to peer at Fang and said again, "You're amazing." Fang didn't comment or say anything, "Thank you," Lightning said honestly. Odile stroked her sweet little cheek, then made Lightning groan a little when she fingered her wetness. Lightning humped her hand, she was so sensitive. "Odileee,"

Odile smiled and pulled her two fingers free. "You want a taste?"

Lightning blushed, or at least Odile thought so, hard to tell off her flush already, so Odile lifted her fingers to her lips and poked them in. Lightning's eyelids fluttered in her barely-controlled arousal as she suckled them. Odile kissed her cheek, then glanced up to Fang, "I'm ready again if you can keep going."

Fang started rising from the bed.

"Wait," Lightning mumbled, pulling Odile's delicious fingers from her mouth. "You're all sweaty and must be hot. You should take your shirt off, Fang, so you don't get overheated."

Fang hesitated only a moment, eyeing Lightning, then obeyed the order as commanded. When the top came off, Lightning gasped, and even Odile had to admit her surprise silently. Fang was a mess of scars.

From the top of her shoulder a little down her front, similar scars as those that marred her face had been clawed into Fang's shoulder with something blunter by the looks of their raggedness. Near the middle of her chest on her left breast, a puncture had been made once and gone deep with something that looked like a spear, raggedly healed over with lines and the point. Fang's collar had permanent teeth indentations with occasional marks dotting her shoulders as well, and her stomach had been dragged on the right side. Little indentations from nails puckered tiny scars all over, but especially on her hips. Odile reckoned there were more on her back.

Lightning was in front of Fang before Odile registered to grab and stop her. Her fingers hovered over Fang's breasts where the worst of the scars laid there over her heart. "What are they from?" she asked quietly, breathless as she looked up at Fang. Odile closed in behind Lightning on her knees and wound her arms around Lightning's stomach.

"It doesn't matter," Fang said taking off her bra. She looked over Lightning's shoulder at Odile. "Are you ready?"

"Wait," Lightning said again, eyes so hesitantly lingering, then looked up at the stoic woman who seemed uninterested in them. They were private scars of Fang's, and she didn't want to talk about them, so Lightning went with an alternative route, trying not to stare at them. "You've given us so much already… is there something you like? Blow jobs or… or tittyfucking? Or some kind of position you like?"

Fang's eyebrows drew in severely as she stared at Lightning as if she were an alien. "What?"

"You know…" Lightning said, trying to encourage Fang to it, "Do you have a certain kink you like? Odile and I are well-versed in everything; we can give you something you enjoy too." Fang blinked. "How about a blow job then?" Lightning offered, "I've never met a guy who didn't like those."

Odile and Fang both stopped her as she went to stoop, Odile because Lightning's accommodating habits were taking her again, Fang for other reasons. "No," Fang said firmly, hand on her shoulder to keep Lightning from bending, "That's not how this goes." Lightning looked at her pleading. "I pleasure you," Fang said, nodding back to the bed, "Not the other way around."

"What if I want to pleasure you?" Lightning challenged, almost making Odile sigh. The sight of Fang's scars must've brought back her guilt back in, making her want to make it better again. She had a good heart, but the offer was misplaced, as was obvious from the look on Fang's face.

"Why?"

"Because you've done so much for us and deserve— "

"No," Fang shook her head only once, "Please lie down on the bed. I'm content to pleasure the way you want."

"But— "

"My preference is that I pleasure you any way that you want." Fang overran her objection, glancing back at the bed. "Tell me how you like it, and I'll be happy to get it done."

Odile pulled Lightning back to the bed and kissed her. She whispered into Lightning's hair and soothed her lover back down, "Easy, baby," Odile kissed her still cheek, "Fang just wants you to have some fun. Right, Fang?"

"Exactly right," Fang agreed from her side of the bed.

With one last worried glance to Fang, Lightning submitted to being done.


	15. Chapter 15

Showered and fresh again, Fang made her way past Jihl and Lightning's bedroom on her way downstairs for food. She cast the door a sideways glance, thinking of the queer questions from Lightning, but before Fang could devote much attention to them, she found herself in the kitchen, and she wasn't alone.

Roma sat at the table with Jeanne, discussing other council things. Really, Fang should've heard them from the stairway, but she'd been busy thinking about the weird things of Lightning to pay attention where she'd been walking. And now both of their eyes were on her in being noticed. Fang tried to excuse herself. "Sorry," she apologized, turning, "I didn't realize you were busy."

"Fang!" Roma froze her in her path, "Come back here, darling. Let's have a look at you, darling." Fang returned as directed to Roma's satisfied smile which only grew as Fang drew near. "My, you're looking downright exhausted, Sweetie. Has Jeanney been giving you good, long rides, hmm?"

Fang glanced at Jeanne who'd done no such thing since she'd returned back yet, "Sometimes, ma'am."

"Is that what this tired little state is from?" Roma practically purred, brushing a hand through Fang's damp hair. "Jeanne riding you a bit too hard, Sweetie?"

"No, ma'am," Fang answered respectfully, "My last stint was with Jihl and Lightning; and it's always a little overwhelming for first time half-bloods." Fang could feel herself swelling and sighed quietly; she'd rather wanted to be out of here before that had happened, but it was too late now, and Fang's jeans were tight.

"You're letting the girls sleep with Ragnarok?" Roma asked like she wasn't right there, "And look how excited Fang is about it; Jeanne, it's wonderful you're letting them help contribute to our ranks. We've never had a half-breed pregnancy yet."

Jeanne had lost her poise, a dangerous thing to do with Roma, and paled noticeably as she stared at Fang. "You slept with the girls?" Jeanne nearly whispered.

"They asked me to join them," Fang confirmed to Jeanne's growing horror.

"Oh, you didn't know of this?" Roma asked Jeanne, purely delighted by it. "Tsk, Fang, but I still approve. They're most welcome to help contribute to our reproduction, wouldn't you say, Jeanne?"

"They were raped, Roma," Jeanne said in barely contained disbelief. Fang blanched a little at the revelation, looking to where Jeanne was now standing, but Jeanne wasn't looking her way. Fang computed all she'd heard from the girls, all Lightning's shy instances, and how she'd spoken with Fang yesterday, all clicking in her head. And now Jeanne, looking pale enough to faint with a hand to her head. Oh fuck. She hadn't known, and now Jeanne looked ill on her feet.

"And now they're pleasured by Ragnarok," Roma said with a faint smile on cruel lips. "I find that rather fitting, Jeanne."

"No," Jeanne murmured, starting away, but Roma caught her hand.

"Your girls are of age to make their own decision, Jeanne."

"They're victims," Jeanne practically spat in barely-restraint contempt.

"Clearly," Roma said with a cold smile, "That doesn't bother them so much." Fang stiffened. For a second, she thought Jeanne might strike her, but then a voice came from down the hall.

"Mother?"

Jeanne almost turned green as Jihl and Lightning entered the room to pause at the scene before them.

"Darlings," Roma greeted with a fair smile catching her lips, "We were just speaking of you." Jihl looked to her Jeanne for counseling, but Roma's wicked tongue continued before she could say, "We've heard you've had a taste of Ragnarok, Sweeties." Both girls looked her way, Lightning with panic, Jihl with careful refrain. "Was she good for you, Sweet Things?"

"Roma, that's enough," Jeanne cut off in anger, "Fang, escort Roma to the council hall," it was something she never asked of Fang, knowing of Roma's treatment, but Jeanne was at her edge and if Fang could see it, Roma could too.

"I'll see you at the meeting, girls," Roma bid as she smiled at Fang, "Jeanne."

Fang left with Roma then, wondering how much extra heartache she'd just caused Jeanne.

**XXX**

Lightning and Odile sat in front of Jeanne at the table, Lightning with her head down, Odile speaking to her mother directly, "We wanted it, Mum, and Fang was very sweet. You don't have to worry about us. She didn't force us or anything."

Jeanne tried to breathe evenly, pale and sickly. "Fang radiates an aura that draws us into her."

"I know, Mum. You told me. But it was completely voluntary of me and Lightning; we even thought we might want to have children with Fang."

That lifted Jeanne's head, features strained. "Children, Jihl?"

"Yeah, I mean, it's something Lightning and I have been working towards all our lives," Odile sold solidly.

"Jihl…" Jeanne was at a loss for speech. Lightning finally lifted her head.

"It was my idea, Jeanne. I thought me and Odile could seek Fang for children that we never had in Cocoon. We didn't know there were rules about breeding with Fang."

"Girls…" Jeanne tried to convey her fears and worries, "You're so newly freed to us, just off the world that you were expected to be used to breed. If you truly want a child from Fang, that is your right; I just hate to think you're rushing into having a child at the first presented opportunity after being so ingrained with it in Cocoon. Are you even sure you want children? I just… I wish you'd give it more time to settle and truly think about it to know if it's what you want."

"It's definitely what we want," Lightning told her to be assuring, "Odile and I have thought a lot about this. You don't need to be afraid for us."

Jeanne looked at Odile with drowning hope in her eyes. Odile shrugged, "It's true, Mum."

Jeanne knotted fingers through her cream-white hair, "Girls, I can't let you," Jeanne finally said, then at Lightning's instant alarm added, "Not right away. I know you girls think you're ready and want to have Fang's baby, but I need you to think about it longer first. Give it a few weeks, and if you still want to after… I won't stop you, but please, I can't let you have Fang until then, until you've had time to think and really know this is what you want."

"But Jeanne!" Lightning started to protest.

"Lightning, I'm sorry." Jeanne apologized to her, "I cannot in good conscience let my recently-escaped daughters go to Ragnarok for children."

"I'm not your daughter!" Lightning protested, panicking. They couldn't stay here a few weeks doing nothing of their mission; they had to finish the job and get back to Sage! There was no time for break nonsense when it would already take weeks or months to complete.

"But Jihl is," Jeanne said firmly, not wavering, "And I can't let her be with Fang until I know she's ready."

Clicking footsteps marked the approach of another Umbra before Cereza announced, "We need to get to the meeting, Jeanne."

Jeanne looked at them each. Lightning fumed, but didn't know what to say that would sway a mother's command. Odile frowned at her mother. "Are you girls ready for another council appearance? They may ask questions of Cocoon."

"Yes, Mum, we can answer them."

"I'm only making this rule because I love you, Jihl." Jeanne tried to tell her, "And I want to make sure you're making the right choice."

Odile sighed as she popped off the chair. "Okay, Mum. We'll go to the council now."

Casting a worried glance to Odile and a lingering one on Lightning, Jeanne stood with a, "We'll talk about it later," that Lightning wasn't sure who it was directed to before she took off with Cereza and the girls in tow. They reached the council hall within a few minutes walking before Jeanne put a hand on Odile's shoulder and nodded them in. The hall was already full again but for them, the other Umbra probably having Witch-Timed to arrive there. Cereza started leading them back to the throne-chairs on the ground floor again when Jeanne stopped in the middle to address all of them once more, boomingly.

"Sisters! We are gathered today to discuss the aspects we do not know of our children. What has been revealed is that these girls are our youngest of the first age of rebirthing. When we first discovered that we may yet bear children and replenish our population with our people, we all chose to strengthen our number and procreate." Lightning's eyes narrowed at Jeanne. Sure, they had chosen to procreate, but their partners had not been so willing. These Umbra with their power were no better than men. Sage repeatedly proved over and over that he was the only one whom power couldn't corrupt like them. "Out of our long, toiling years of attempts, we rejoiced with the first blessed pregnancy of our people: Adelaide." Ariadne made a quiet noise from above, obviously trying to keep silent about her grief.

"Four more pregnancies were made through varying years after that," Jeanne continued, taking her gaze from the third chair on the right from which she sat. "To Persephone, Cybele, Cereza and I, and Raina. All of our babes were snatched from us; taken." As served them right, Lightning thought. For inflicting the same on the likes of their fathers. Umbra action in those days might've even turned the likes of men; Lightning knew they hadn't always been that way, even if she couldn't forgive them, but with Makers of old influencing that way, it was no wonder they'd turned on Cocoon women that way. The timeline coincided well too, when men became so desperate that Cocoon women became property.

Lightning's father hadn't been like that. He'd risked life and limb to steal back into the Umbra home when her mother had discarded him. Him and the other four fathers, including Odile's, and a small horde of other friends. Lightning's parentage was historic proof that they hadn't always been like that, and only turned into sexual monsters a time after her dad had passed. Lightning had grown up straight into it: the expectations that'd been changed of women, meant to service and produce offspring for the men. Society had changed, seeing that easier way. Why work to gain the fluttering attention of a woman in her prime who'd play coy most of the way when they could all just have her instead?

Lightning's father wouldn't have lived that way, the same way Sage refused to participate in their degrading, and had done everything he could for Lightning and Odile to ease their way.

"And now," Jeanne went on, "Two of our girls have returned to us, seemingly raised from the dead." Lightning almost rolled her eyes. So dramatic with these people. If they'd really had loved them all as much as they claimed, they could've ventured back into the world of men for them, but they hadn't. They'd left them there to be raped in a changing day of Cocoon. Lightning supposed they might not have known about how badly men had changed, but she had no sympathy for their utter lack of effort to regain them.

"Sisters, I have no current answers for how this could've happened. It is both a blessing to see our children again, and a strain on our hearts to know where they've been and how they've been treated by the men. This is what we are here to discuss today. Keep any questions to Cocoon only; we will discuss our predicament in these chambers after that."

"If you seek details or assurances of the evils done," Thalia suddenly provided from her second seat on the right, "Ask me in private, Sisters. I myself gave the examinations, and nothing could've prepared me for the viciousness inflicted on another human being. Their minds have twisted so far in sexual greed and fantasy, it is a miracle our daughters stand before us again. There is nothing human in the likes of men. Please, for our daughters' sakes, refrain from asking of that."

"How did you escape?" Cybele asked from her end, "Is it the whole world of men you hid from, daughters? How did you land on Gran Pulse without aid from their soldiers and them?"

Lightning glanced at Odile, who'd already crafted this lie for Jeanne. "We ran away," Odile provided, "And stayed on our own, away from the city and town developments except for when we needed provisions we could not get of our own. On those occasions, we dirtied ourselves and went to thieve from the men. If we were caught or pointed out and demanded, we did as expected for it in trade, claiming a nearby family under the name of 'John.' They have little enough creativity in their naming of boys that there would always be one nearby. When they were done with us and we had what we needed, we escaped away again." At all the faces looking down at her, Odile added, "But we were good at living alone and thieving by then, and dirtying ourselves to look bad. We weren't noticed that often."

Lightning was glad for her imagination. Odile was good at these stories and quick thinking, as she kept proving again and again.

"And it was like this all over?" Ariadne asked at the rail in horror and astonishment.

"It was everywhere we went." Odile confirmed to all of them. "And we were never taught differently from that."

"Other women endured these treatments as well?"

"Yes," Odile confirmed, "There were too few of us, and too many men. Any pregnancy from anyone was a valued treasure there, and pregnant women were treated better than other women, so it's what we all wanted and why we serviced them. There was an age restriction too; we had to produce children before we reached twenty-five years, otherwise it got worse from there. We were housed, fed, expected to do the chores they didn't want to, and expected to please the men and produce children for them, but a woman who couldn't produce had lost the most important worth she had to men."

Odile explained, "We were raped, of course, but there was an active effort made to preserve us for fertility reasons and to please other men. Rules like those against excessive scarring and stuff. Childless women over twenty-five didn't get that care provided for them. Those who were still pretty lasted even shorter than those put to the whipping fields. Lightning and I would've festered in disease and painful death with the pretty ones. It's why we ran away when we did, even though there was nowhere else. The first plan was just to find another family and pass for younger again, but we got by on our own, so we decided against that."

"How did you get here?" Nephelai asked the girls, "To escape this?"

"We were on a floating fal'cie, resting," Lightning filled in this time for Odile instead, using something Sage had told them about traveling between their worlds on the backs of the fal'Cie. "When we woke up, the land had changed and everything was… different. We ran into a nice Yun who gave us a bird to saddle and directed us to the Umbra home. Then we were here."

"Did you not even know you were of Umbra blood?" Someone else near the back asked in astonishment. Lightning stiffened. Odile sighed and spoke for them again.

"We knew," she answered simply, "It was spoken of to us, not kindly, along with the stories of the savages in Gran Pulse. We wouldn't have come this way if it weren't for that kindly Yun. We're…" she glanced at Lightning, "Still trying to process some things."

"I think you've adapted just fine," Roma boomed out then, "More than fine. Sisters, our daughters have already asked of Ragnarok and taken her into their bed! They willingly wish to help us in procreation, and finally have the pleasing mistress they've deserved all this time: someone who will cater to their every desire as they were forced to do for men. I can see no fairer reconciliation than this, and I applaud you, Jeanne, for providing such comfort in Ragnarok for them." A number of murmurs went around the room in following.

"Roma," Jeanne bit off icily, "My girls sexual activities are not up for council discussion."

"Your girls?" Roma scoffed from high above, "Jihl, maybe, but Lightning is as much all of ours as she belongs to you, Jeanne. Do you disagree with our daughters being pleasured for children by Ragnarok?"

"If that is what they want, I do not disgree- "

"Oh, good," Roma interrupted. "Daughters; do you desire Ragnarok?" Roma asked of them.

"But, considering the circumstance," Jeanne almost growled in finishing her sentence. "I have temporarily disallowed it. As would any mother in my place, Roma."

"Refusing to let our willing sisters or daughters partake of Ragnarok is a questionable offense." Roma murmured, "Especially our daughters of the half Yun blood, who have a much better chance of pregnancy and procreating our kind, Jeanne."

"It is not a banning," Jeanne answered sharply, but calm. "It is a temporary limitation I have put on my girls until they have had full time to heal and truly consider if this is what they want."

"What they want, or what you want, Jeanne?" Roma challenged directly.

"Excuse me?"

"Jeanne, please," Roma worded wisely, "We all know of your sympathy for Ragnarok's plight. All of us share it to varying degrees, but you live with her. It is understandable that you would have more sympathy than most." Roma faintly smiled, slyly. "You may even view her as almost a daughter, even."

Jeanne paled. Lightning could understand why; the comparison of Fang, a woman she fucked for children to a daughter's capacity was truly an ugly thing. Even with Roma arguing her case for her, that had been a shallow blow and it'd struck Jeanne deeply enough to snap. "That's enough, Roma!"

"Is it enough?" Roma asked calmly, "I see two willing, happy daughters who've been sated and pleased by Ragnarok. Two daughters who are of age to make their own decision, yet you give them this... forbiddance."

"It is not a forbiddance," Jeanne bit back, clearly angrily, "It is a few-week limitation that I would give my daughter who's been raped in a child-bearing society time to consider her choice fully."

"Consider her choice or yours?" Roma asked in her malevolently calm manner. It sent a chill down Lightning's spine. This woman argued for their chance at Ragnarok, but she was slippery as a wet snake in doing so and even Lightning could see how wrong it was. Roma wanted them to use Ragnarok to help repopulate their lands with them, two fresh, recent rape victims. Lightning might've even have sympathized for Jeanne against this woman's cruelty if it wasn't something she desperately needed for Sage.

"Jeanne and I have supported the use of Ragnarok in the repopulation of our people," Cereza stepped towards and snapped her way. "Our choice has always reflected the good of this council and our people, Roma." the other message was clear through her words: Back off. Roma wasn't listening to it.

"Your choice is clear, Cereza." Roma affronted blatantly, "Whereas Jeanne, after years of trying and housing Ragnarok under her own roof, has yet to even show a pregnancy for it... I can only wonder what these 'few weeks of thinking' will do in the reflection of our daughters choice to help our procreation."

"Roma," Thalia snapped in defense, "Are you making an accusation?"

"Not at all, Thalia" Roma backed down easily, her weaseling done and made, "I am merely suggesting that it might be wise to give our daughters their own voice in this, lest they be influenced by... other sympathies."

"Come, Roma," Athena spoke up in the midst of this, "We have not even heard from our daughters. It seems to me they are the only ones who have not spoken in this. Come girls, what say you of this desire to help our dwindling clan procreate? Is that your aim in your desire for Ragnarok? Do you even have one at all?"

This was exactly the chance she needed to sidestep Jeanne's rule that they consider it longer for more days, Lightning thought as she stood to address the tall women on either side. It had come through a snake, but Lightning couldn't pass up this opportunity. Roma's greed and intention to use them only fueled Lightning's need to end her and her people's endless quest for power and rape. Jeanne looked horribly pained, but Lightning couldn't pass up this chance to evade the extra weeks they'd be required to wait without it. "We do want to procreate," Lightning said to all of them, "All our lives, it is what Odile and I have dreamed of, and we've finally been given that chance with Fang. We have considered it fully, and we wish to bear her children together."

"Well spoken!" Cybele claimed, "Our children wish to contribute to our small population. They should be allowed that, as it is every Umbra's right."

"They've just come out of being raped!" Ariadne cried out in protest, "Jeanne has the right of mothering the children in her care, and is it as Raina would've wanted!"

"Mothering or persuading?" Roma asked slyly.

"Let's see you so easy to give your daughter to Ragnarok!" Thalia roared back in anger for her friend.

"I say we put it to a vote over Jihl and Lightning's rights to Ragnarok!"

A clamor started up all over again, this way and that, every which way. Jeanne gazed to Odile, who kept her head lowered away from her mothers' gaze. Lightning took her wrist when she came close enough to ease her. Jeanne shot her sawn-off Rose shotgun for silence, but no one was listening over the clamor of each other's shouting. Lightning squeezed Odile's wrist, who gave her half a glimpse, then at the ruckus around her. Lightning agreed, but Roma's slyness might've been working to her advantage, letting her and Odile sleep with Fang again, it was working.

"Silence!" Jeanne called out sharply, shooting a couple of more times until the hall quieted. "Enough, Sisters! We will speak orderly, and not in this chaos."

Nephelai volunteered calmly after Jeanne had shut their tongues from yapping. "We have a decision to make. Do we let the girls make their own choice when it comes to Ragnarok, or do we allow this forbiddance of Jeanne's?"

"Temporary limitation," Jeanne corrected, finally tearing her eyes from them. Women started holding their Rose-imbued guns to the railing. It seemed Jeanne was stuck in the middle with no way out to press but to surge with it. She finally said, "As mothers, I can only wish for your understanding and that you'll keep your Roses holstered for me. Cereza and I are not shooting; Roma, it goes to you."

"They should make their own decision." A shot went off from Roma's gun into the air, followed by another from the other side's first seat.

"I'm sorry, Jeanne, but I agree." An Umbra didn't know spoke on their behalf as well. "All Umbra are needed for the rebirth of our people. They are young, but they are already willing to help us procreate. That is something we cannot dissuade, no matter how grave the circumstance. Ragnarok will treat your girls fairly."

"Thirded." Then Cybele's fired off as well, Jeanne's demeanor draining with every shot fired off. When it reached the fourth Umbra, Thalia on the right side, she did nothing and only grimly looked at Jeanne.

"I do not agree. Our raped daughters need time and space." The question passed on from her until the fifth Umbra shot again.

On the seventh, Ariadne, the woman kept her gun holstered and shouted at them. "You should all be ashamed. What if she had been yours, Persephone?" she challenged the first on the right side. "I will not shoot for this." Ariadne said, sitting. Just after her, Athena did nothing. Lightning gleaned; shots meant in favor of the girls choosing for themselves. Those who did nothing sided with Jeanne.

The decision continued, those who chose in saying something to back their decision or sway those behind them did. Near the end, they said nothing. Lightning counted eleven shots in all who'd voted for her own choice. She breathed in relief.

"Eleven to six! It is decided," Roma announced, "The girls will sleep with Ragnarok of their own according. This issue is settled."

Good, Lightning thought, relaxing. She and Odile could proceed as expected.

Jeanne released a great sigh, and then asked Cereza quietly. "Take them home. Quickly."

Cereza touched Jeanne's shoulder with a hand and nodded. It'd started to drizzle through openings in the ceiling. Lightning and Odile found themselves escorted with Odile's tall mother taking them out to the drizzling rain.

"We know the way, Mum." Odile volunteered freely, summoning both Lightning and Cereza's surprised eyes. "Mum needs help in there, doesn't she? We can get back to the house ourselves."

Cereza almost seemed torn, but started walking with them anyway. "It's only a moment, Jihl." Cereza excused, walking with them. "Come on."

They made it the short way back through the drizzle before Cereza hesitantly left them, promising to be back shortly when the meeting was done. Lightning turned Odile's way and nodded her up to the bedroom. "Let's go."

They had much to report to Sage this day.


	16. Chapter 16

Lightning cracked the door a tad, leaving only a peep of it open.

"What are you doing?"

"I want to hear if anyone's passing. We can communicate to him silently in our heads, but otherwise we might hear something interesting."

"Like what?" Odile asked, stretching out luxuriously on the bed as she started to shed her clothes.

"Something we're not supposed to." Lightning answered ominously. Odile rolled her eyes and settled back to the comfortable bed.

"You know that means they can overhear us too. You really want them to know what I'm going to do to you in this bed tonight?"

"Shh!" Lightning held up a hand swiftly, hearing footsteps. "Someone's coming." She listened as the footfalls grew slightly heavier as they came to their door, then lightened in passing. Lightning lifted her head back, "I'm reaching out. Are you ready?"

"Freaking voices in my head," Odile grumbled. She paused in taking off her clothes. "You don't think he can see me naked, do you?"

Lightning rolled her eyes and reached out as Odile pulled her sleeve back up again. _Majesty? Are you there?_

_Sweet child, _Sage answered after a moment of settling peace, _how do you fare, my children?_

_We're well, _Lightning reported in dutifully, _and I have good news. We've just been to Umbra council chambers, where we've successfully been voted in as able and welcome to assist in the Umbra procreation. We have free, un-prohibited access to Fang. Majesty, it should only be a matter of time before we can return to you with Fang's seed._

_Excellent! _Sage replied back gladly, _I am more than pleased to hear it. Sending you and Odile has turned out to be the right choice, Lightning. You are doing me proud, and I have only my blessings to resolve your fortitude with. Soon, when we have Ragnarok's babies, we will be able to fight back and squash the Umbra where they're left standing. Soon, Lightning, no one will have to touch Fang again without her full permissions. We will be able to save the Yuns with this, _Sage told her bravely, _and you will be exalted, Lightning._

_I'm happy enough with the Yuns freedom. _Lightning responded faithfully. _That alone is enough—_

"Sweet mother fuck!" A loud yell, followed by a resounding series of crashes rang out boisterously, lifting Odile to a sitting position on the bed as Lightning's head snapped up.

"Fang?"

A groaning series of curses followed. Lightning pushed out the door, Odile following as she rushed down the hall after the cussing. There, at the top of the stairs, Lightning saw Fang in a curled heap, fingers gripping her foot, which she yanked out from under her with a dark series of swearing.

"Bloody fucking humming." Fang mumbled darkly.

"Mummies!" A smaller, cute little voice rang out to a door opening, "Fang's bloody fucking again."

"Rhea!" A motherly voice admonished.

"What? I didn't go by, just like you said!" Fang pinkened.

"Are you okay?" Lightning asked, kneeling at the bottom of the stairs by her.

"Uchm," Fang cleared her throat, "I'm fine, really." Fang tried to brace her arm on the banister and lift herself, but the slightest movement of her ankle made her inhale fast and cringe.

"Wait," Lightning said, trying to help ease her back down. Admittedly, she knew very little about healing beyond first aid. "It might be broken."

"It's okay," Fang said again, "I just need a few minutes. Feels sprained, is all." She touched it gingerly through the sock and winced. Fang started removing the socking.

"You need something cold for the swelling," Lightning said, going straight over her, careful not to nudge her or the limb. She knew that much from bruises with her and Odile, at least, and went to their sink to find a cloth that she doused in cool water to bring back to Fang.

"Fang?" Jeanne came around the corner upon the scene, Fang at the bottom of the stairs pointy and cringing with Odile above her in the stairwell, Lightning wetting a cloth for her. "What happened?" Jeanne asked, coming upon Fang and kneeling.

"Fang sprained an ankle," Odile volunteered.

"It's nothing," Fang mumbled again, "I was just being clumsy."

"Did you have another headache?" Cereza asked, coming in behind them once Rhea had been safely tucked away to their room.

"It just surprised me, coming on so suddenly." Fang tried to excuse in another attempt to stand. Jeanne would have none of it and scooped Fang up, who squirmed, looking uncomfortable. "I can pick up myself— "

"Shush, Fang." Lightning returned with the wet cloth, which Jeanne took easily, supporting Fang in one arm like she was a feather as she gently draped the wet cloth on her foot. "Thank you, Lightning."

"Another headache?" Lightning asked curiously.

"Fang's had a few headaches today."

"It's nothing," Fang claimed again, "I was just getting some dinner."

"You need to get some sleep, Fang. Cereza and I will bring up food for you," Jeanne started navigating her up the stairs cautiously so she wouldn't bump her foot.

"Can I come out now, mummy?" Rhea asked, already peeping around the corner. "Is Fang still bloody fucking?"

Cereza sighed.

**XXX**

Jeanne laid her to the bed gently, Fang's eyes turned away in shame at the caring nature of the woman holding her, so uncomfortable and undeserving of the care she received. Fang kept her eyes away as Jeanne sat on the edge of the bed and reached up to brush a hand through her hair in soothing.

"…I'm sorry for bedding them," Fang finally said quietly, "I didn't know…"

"I know, Fang," Jeanne echoed so softly, it made Fang glance at her. She could see all the all the pain, grief, and exhaustion in Jeanne's lowered face so easily. It had probably gotten worse at the council meeting today. No doubt Roma would use anything she knew against Jeanne. Fang wished she hadn't spoken, that she'd just been quiet and had refused the girls, even when she'd never been taught such a thing. "Were you gentle with them?" Jeanne asked finally, quietly, straining Fang's guilty heart for Jeanne.

"Yes," Fang answered, wanting to ease her, "That's what they wanted."

Jeanne nodded once slowly, eyes ticking over to her eventually, which Fang had a hard time keeping. "Fang," Fang lifted her eyes again and made the absolute effort to hold Jeanne's gaze. "When they ask you again… please continue to be gentle with them. They're my girls; my daughter and Raina's... Even if they ask for you harshly, it's… they come from a different way of things."

Fang swallowed hard. "They weren't like that, Jeanne. Lightning even tried to pleasure me, but I told them no."

Jeanne bowed her head, eyes on her lap. "They're used to servicing." She didn't add 'like you, Fang,' but Fang could hear it in the tone and it jabbed another stick of pain right through her chest for Jeanne. Jeanne felt terrible enough about Fang's predicament, but now, with her own daughters, she had to be bleeding. "Please… please be careful with them, Fang. I know… I know how it is for me to ask, but— "

"I would never hurt them, Jeanne. And I'll be as tender as I can to them when they come again." Fang promised the broken mother. Jeanne did something she hadn't for a long time then. Her hand closed over Fang's fingers. Then, leaning over Fang like a mother, Jeanne kissed the top of her forehead briefly.

"Thank you," Jeanne whispered, and if it'd been any softer, Fang wouldn't have heard it. A wet splash broke against Fang's cheek, and then Jeanne's hand slid from hers quickly. She was standing fast, then walking to the door, which she closed behind her quietly, careful of Fang's sensitive hearing.

Fang reached up and brushed the foreign tear from her cheek; it had been Jeanne's.

**XXX**

Gun heels clicked on hard stone flooring as Jeanne stalked the halls of a deep dungeon. Built high in the Gran Pulse mountains, the dungeon tower stood far as far away from settlements as Gran Pulse could allow. Nobody wanted to live by a dungeon, a construction that'd become a sad necessity with Cocoon, but they'd solved that problem with a new, elevated area separated some miles out. Though the duty was offered by other clans as well, the Zykk especially ran the tower, a clan of mountain people who vastly specialized as sentinels. A rougher people, hard lived in the blistering cold, the other clans exchanged this service with help in building the tower and supplying its need in addition to seasonal tributes of fresh-grown foods, a rare thing in their parts. The only dungeon tower of its kind for Cocoon, Gran Pulse didn't take many prisoners alive.

Even in these isolated parts, the Zykk at the doors of the tower let her in without question. Erected tall and deep both, the tunnels went deep underground. They'd never had a successful escapee and Jeanne knew they never would; the Zykk made sure of that.

Led by a Zykk with a torch, she passed down deep tunnels where they'd housed some of the worst, all of the scummiest rebels, the few high ups that'd been deemed more important as prisoners than corpses. And there were few enough of them, indeed.

None had ever mentioned the daughters that'd gone missing.

None had ever told that Jihl had been made a slave.

The dungeon was of small size, but had few enough residents for it, reaching only into the tens. Gran Pulse law didn't breed many brave enough to break the law in such a fashion. Any man seen or discovered on their lands ended up dead. Gran Pulse law was harsh on Cocoon, but it had to be to stop the men. Only the strictest penalties abated their attempts to spread.

Yet Jihl had still been raped over and over again.

When they reached the floor of the men, the Zykk guard handed her a key and departed with a nod before turning back down the hall to trek upstairs again. Jeanne gazed down the rows, six on either side.

Summoning the flow of time to stop to a crawl, Jeanne unlocked the doors and opened them one by one, opening first all the left, then clicking on heels back down the right as crawling time quickened slowly. Her time bubble popped by the time the last door pushed in. Jeanne took up her first spot at the end of the hall and turned around. "Time's up, men."

The first of heads peeked out through the open door and spotted Jeanne. He checked the other open doors all curious, then stepped outside with his other cellmates, some of which who rushed the door only to find the same confusing situation.

"Prisoners," Jeanne addressed, just barely containing the tremendous urge to slaughter them all. "My name is Jeanne, Elder of the Umbra clan. I come for information and you're all going to tell me exactly what I want to know." A few whispers took up in the back, mumbled words Jeanne didn't care to hear. "If you don't, you will die."

"Run her down!" One brave, stupid, or desperate bloke ran for her head-on charge to grab her. Jeanne caught him by the neck and lifted the shorter man clean off the ground and squeezed. The couple behind him who'd followed stopped as his eyes bulged and he choked. Fingernails bit into his neck, dripping tiny droplets of blood down her hand. He reached for her hand with both arms and pulled to no avail, his strength like a little fly to Jeanne's Umbra-gifted power.

"You will tell me," Jeanne stared down those gasping eyes, so frantically kicking her for release. Her fingers punctured skin with the nail, pressing into taut muscle of an airless throat. She bent back one of his grabby little arms and snapped it back slowly. "Everything I want to know." Blood started flowing, more rivets than drips. "If I ask for information, I expect a 'yes, ma'am.'" Jeanne's grip tightened as his eyes screamed in pain his throat could not voice, "You will grovel and lick the dirt of the floor beneath my feet. And when I murder you, you will thank me for showing a mercy my daughter had never known from scum like you." Jeanne dropped the man like a doll, who crashed to the ground and gasped, gripping his bleeding throat she'd been so careful not to snap.

Jeanne lined the flat side of a heeled shoe to his crotch instead. He didn't even appear to notice at first, so pained in his lack of breath. Jeanne looked up at the rest of them as a sickening crunch prefaced an agonized gasp, throat too sore to scream. "Do I make myself _perfectly _clear?"

"And if we know something to tell, ma'am?" Someone asked from the back, a dirty dark-haired man with a beard like all of them. Jeanne could barely tell them apart, all slender, filthy men.

"Then you'll die quick."

Some of the men tried to rush her again to the call of, "She can't take us all!" and killed two in the process. The others, the smart ones, returned to their cells and hid. A couple tried to run while she interrogated, but were quickly reduced to a state worse than the first and left to moan in warning to the rest.

Jeanne was through half of them with nothing more than she knew gained in hours of being there. She'd killed most and left only two to cry in their pain for a little longer. No one tried to enter the hall again.

When she reached the last, a weasel shit who negotiated through the pain, Jeanne gathered the first foggy 'Lightning' she'd heard all night, followed by something darker than that. She spent the rest of the night squeezing every last drop of sketchy memory from this man, repeatedly calming her deep-set hatred at every line he said.

By the end of the interrogation, he rested back in his hole with a self-satisfied smirk plastered on. It didn't stay there for long.

Dark red fluids seeping from his gut around her hand, he gawked, blood dripping from his lip. "You swore."

Ripping her hand through the front of his chest, shallow enough to bleed for hours in pain, Jeanne snapped his legs and crushed his penis with fired shots from her sawn-off shotgun. She shattered all his fingers and wrists, then left him bleeding out for dead.

Jeanne left, fourteen corpses far behind.

**XXX**

With Odile's breasts comfortably squished on her side, sheets covering her from waist-up, Lightning was warm and cozy in the bed, even with an aching back still adjusting to the soft mattress. She stroked a lazy hand through Odile's long hair, fingering her arm on the way down, but Odile didn't wake, too snuggled in her position nestled onto Lightning's side with a lazy arm draped between her breasts. Lightning reached and held her shoulder eventually, eyes shifting to the woman sharing her bed.

Odile was beautiful, of course, Lightning thought it every time she looked at her. With long, blonde strands tumbling from her sweet head and the most perfect curve of features, lips lush, nose shaped, and eyes sharp and beautiful, Lightning couldn't have found a finer girlfriend in all the lands, nor one so closely held to her heart in all matters. Odile was perfect, plain and simple, and Lightning loved her more than anything. She'd stay here forever if it was in her power to do so.

Sadly, Lightning's stomach didn't agree. Lightning sighed, eyes turning back up at the ceiling as she stroked Odile's arm, belly obnoxiously quaking in hunger to ruin the moment. She stayed there another thirty seconds before the hunger spiked again, deciding for her that she should move. Now. Lightning lowered her head and kissed Odile's. She gave her woman a gentle push to the side. "I'm going to get us some food," Lightning tried to soothe, tenderly extracting from Odile, who whined softly. "I'll be right back," Lightning promised, relaxing her back to the bed once she'd slid out from under her.

"Better be with a massage," Odile grumbled, half woken by all the movement as her body-pillow disappeared. Lightning covered her the rest of the way with the sheet so she wouldn't get cold and pulled on the draping garments they'd first been given when coming into this place. When dressed, Lightning gave her girl's head one last kiss and promised to be back shortly. She disappeared out the door with haste, following the commands of her stomach. She could just grab them both something real quick that would tide them over till Cereza or Jeanne called them for breakfast and they'd be good, Lightning figured. After so much sex last night in Odile's comforting, Lightning didn't know how Odile couldn't be starving either by now.

She made her way downstairs, loosely dressed in the wrap that cast a chill to the bottom of her legs and bare feet. Lightning hurried quickly into the kitchen, which was empty in this early hour. She checked around the room where there were apples on the table, which were hardly filling, but Lightning picked up a couple of them anyway. She checked for more, but found nothing fulfilling. Most of the food would be kept cool in the cellar or in an ice house outside, but Lightning wasn't sure if she was allowed to go in there. Well, she'd be allowed, she thought, it'd just be rude to be wandering all over their food stores and embarrassing if someone came down before she got up from there.

Lightning searched for a loaf of bread that'd been out yesterday, almost groaning for how her belly quivered for something tasty. She was just in the midst of returning to the apples on the table to grab a couple more of them when something creaked and Lightning whipped around, five apples in her arms to see Fang halt on the top step up from the basement, a varied and delicious assortment of dried meats cradled to her chest, chewing one absently when she came upon her. "Lightning?"

Their scents so salty and overwhelming, the reminding taste of their food wetting her tongue already, Lightning could do nothing to stop it as her stomach twisted loud and obnoxiously. She cringed, looking down with a little cough and mumbled, "Hi, Fang," when the noise had passed. "I was just..." stealing all of their apples?

"You're scavenging too?" Fang asked in great surprise, taking in Lightning.

"Uchm," Lightning cleared her throat, embarrassed.

"Don't worry, Lightning. I pig out on them all the time too." Lightning felt pink again. "N-Not that you're pigging out— or that I think you're a pig, I just— " Fang desperately grasped for a hold. "Umbra eat like birds, you know! I mean... I didn't mean… I'm sorry," Fang apologized with a heavy sigh, looking around helplessly as Lightning retained her warm coloring. Fang finally looked down at her arms, then held out the piece of jerky she'd been gnawing. "Do you want some jerky, Lightning?"

Lightning's stomach twisted again with the offer. The smell of the tantalizing meat so close almost overwhelmed it, it looked so savory. Hunger won out again. Lightning bit back her embarrassment with a tentative, "…You don't mind sharing?"

"Of course not," Fang said, crossing to the table to deposit her assortment of meats. Lightning put down her apples again too, "The cellar's full of food," Fang passed over some of the dried meats that Lightning tried not to snatch up too eagerly and devour. "And the ice house is always open too."

"I didn't want to be rude…" Lightning savored the meat the moment it touched her tongue like heaven. She almost groaned, it was so salty and meaty, her stomach craving it so strongly. "Thank you, Fang."

"You don't need to thank me." Fang excused easily.

"I've always had an appetite," Lightning confessed a little less consciously as she eyed Fang in eating as she devoured the meats too. "It's embarrassing because Odile doesn't so much."

"She must've taken after her moms," Fang agreed, "None of them eat." Mention of Odile's mothers made her pause in eating, then lower her eyes. Fang noticed. "You don't have to be shy. There's plenty of food in the cellar if we run out here."

"Fang…" Lightning breathed in deeply. She couldn't apologize for the sex, no matter how badly she wanted to because she and Odile would be on Fang again, probably today, but everything set wrong on her guilty conscience concerning Fang. She could managed something at least, "I'm sorry for how we treated you when we… " raped you for babies, Lightning didn't say.

"You didn't treat me wrongly," Fang said, lifting Lightning's guilty eyes of pain to Fang's honest face. "It's what I'm for."

Lightning's heart was aching. She'd thought the same way as Fang at one point, stuck in her position, striving to please the men and hoping against hope that one would one day get her pregnant to give her even a small span of relief. It wasn't right, and in a way, it was exactly what Fang was doing too. "No one's meant for that."

Fang was quiet. Lightning looked up at her to see she'd stopped eating and appeared to be struggling within herself to say something. Lightning lowered her eyes again, suddenly incredibly shy and ashamed. "You know?"

"Yes," Fang finally managed, "Jeanne told me some. I'm sorry for what happened to you." It was no different than what was happening to Fang, what Lightning was assisting in doing to Fang. "If you need to talk it out…" Lightning clenched her teeth. This was so much harder being the villain. She couldn't truthfully apologize for anything to Fang without being a total hypocrite. She could only imagine what Fang thought of her, a similar rape-case victim who was now the one doing the raping. "Or relieve yourself in other ways…" Fang added, side glancing at her.

Lightning didn't know what to say. Apologizing might've been a mistake; it'd just been weighing on her conscience so deeply, and now here she was, being offered help in dealing with her rape by raping someone else close to her. If there was a closer definition to monster, Lightning didn't know it, but she desperately wanted something to ease Fang. And there was nothing. Fang serviced her with the monsters like a slave.

Seeming to detect that she had nothing more to say about it, Fang asked simply, "How's your jerky?"

"It's good," Lightning mumbled, environment severely uncomfortable now. She wracked her mind for something else to say, something pertinent, and finally asked. "What about your ankle and headache?"

Fang barely glanced at it. "I heal quickly. It doesn't hurt anymore. And my headache is gone now, thank you for asking." Fang reverted back to the detached, polite personality so easily, and had Lightning then doubting if she'd even broken from it once when she'd first came up the stairs. She had thought so for a little while there, but even Fang's answers then had been polite. And Lightning couldn't even blame her for the horrible being she must seem to Fang, for the horrible person she was being, needing to use her like this to set her free.

"Would you like to take any of these up to Jihl?" Fang asked, pushing a couple of more meats over to her.

"Thank you," Lightning mumbled as Fang started standing. When she did, Lightning noticed the bulge and cursed herself all the more for it. That warming had started to return to her as well, and it wouldn't have been helping Fang.

"Thanks for sitting with me," Fang said politely, "Find me any time you need. I'm really happy to give you and Jihl a baby you want and deserve, Lightning." She gave her a little nod and said kindly, not cruelly. "I'll see you later today."

Lightning wanted to weep as Fang walked away.


	17. Chapter 17

The bedroom door creaked, the first sound in hours. Her wife stood in the door.

"I'm sorry," Jeanne apologized, stepping into the light. Cereza immediately saw the stains of blood spilled down her front.

"Jeanne," Cereza went to her at once. She touched the splatters of blood, so obvious against her white hair.

"It's not mine."

Cereza was not eased. "Where've you been?"

"I went to the Zykk prison." That raised Cereza's eyes, "To talk to the men there."

"Jeanne," Cereza took her hand. Jeanne's nails crusted under with blood. "You shouldn't have gone alone to that. We're not the only ones in mourning. Thalia, Airadne, Persephone and even Cybele... they deserved to kill them too. Don't you think I would've gotten peace from it too?"

"I know," Jeanne kept her head bowed, and apologized again quietly, "I'm sorry, Cereza."

Cereza knew how much Jeanne was breaking, cracking at the edges under all the pressure that'd buried her since the beginning of this. With their girls here and their fucking of Fang, it'd only gone from bad to worse, even with their happy reappearance. Cocoon stood another issue all on its own. She was angry and hurt by her lover for the deception, but sadder yet was how deeply she understood it, and the great, already-forgiven notion she had for Jeanne. "Did it help?"

"I learned some things," Jeanne confessed, though Cereza wondered if they were things she would've been better off not hearing at all. "One of them knew of our girls… all of them. And other things."

"Come on," Cereza said, taking her arm. "Let's get you cleaned up." She would hear these things from Jeanne while the blood rinsed from her hair; she could not leave her standing there that way. Her wife followed along with her quietly, clearly still affected by what she'd heard in that place. This fragile side of their Elder was only exposed to Cereza, and as woman and wife to Jeanne, Cereza would always mend and strengthen the fragilities in her beloved Jeanne.

Cereza pulled the faucet on the tub for heat from the hotsprings as warm water gushed in. "Don't pull in your hair yet," Cereza advised, wanting to wash it all out first. Jeanne only nodded once as Cereza loosed her own hair, drawing it all back in. She climbed into the long tub first and summoned Jeanne over, who sat in front of between her outstretched legs. Cereza felt the brush of loose, circular piercing's down the outside of Jeanne's legs. She wrapped an arm around Jeanne's covered belly and pulled her back to her body in leaning. She took the mixture of rinse in her other hand and applied it graciously to Jeanne's front to wash out the blood stains. "What did you learn?" Cereza finally asked gently.

Jeanne laid back against Cereza, gaining her comfort from what Cereza could provide her as she gently rubbed through the chain-loosened, but not retracted strands. Cereza's reach around her front lightly brushed the small, circle loop piercings down Jeanne's sides that she used to weave her hair through and keep in place around her body. Jeanne's cheek brushed the little rings on her lower shoulder as she rested.

"Adelaide tried to kill all of them, but they caught her and threw her into a dungeon cell," Cereza rubbed the strands atop her stomach soothingly, rinsing out the blood, "She'd already bled out by the time they came back to hurt her." Jeanne bit her lip. "They separated them after that. Pheme passed in one of many attempts to escape when they beat her so badly, she bled out in being dragged home. And Carme," Jeanne's voice hitched as she reached for Cereza's arm and squeezed it just under her ring piercings on the shoulder, "Carme died in the midst of one of the rapes. Her heart just gave out." Jeanne whimpered, squeezing for comfort and support. "Oh, Cereza," she closed her watery eyes, "Our girls only made it because they didn't know any better. They didn't know of our world for them, that we loved them." She broke down shaking and Cereza held her in to her body as Jeanne fought to control her overwhelming motherly instincts that cried for their daughters passed. "What are we going to tell Cybele?"

They were details a grieving mother didn't need to know, especially one so bitter first from losing her sisters, then more after with her daughter that had taken decades to create, but news of the other two, of Adelaide especially would soothe Ariadne and perhaps Persephone. Their older daughters hadn't forgotten them; they'd forever tried to escape back, and it had ended when they couldn't. Poor Carme had been second to their youngests at 9 and wouldn't have had the wherewithal like Pheme and Adelaide to get away. "I'll handle Cybele," Cereza told her quietly, "You take Ariadne and Persephone." One big, lasting piece bothered Cereza though, one she couldn't figure from what Jeanne had spoken. "Jeanne; why didn't they use Witch Time? Or their other talents as well? Adelaide was 23, grown into her talents, and Pheme, 15. Even Carme would've known they existed to try to trigger them when she came of age."

Jeanne swallowed with difficulty and finally looked up to Cereza with long, endless eyes of horror and pain. "There's a Sage." Cereza's blood ran cold at once. "Maybe more of them, but the men I killed knew only of the one. Adelaide must've been terrified, Cereza. Unable to tap into their source." It made perfect sense and Cereza wished it didn't in every way. Witch Time didn't work with Sages; they knew how to completely negate the magic. It was how Cereza's mother had been raped by Balder so many ages ago. "He must've discovered a way to dampen all their talents and strength; Lightning and Jihl didn't grow knowing their abilities or strength, but they never even woke into it by chance or accident even once. And the man didn't speak of superior strength when speaking about Pheme."

"Maybe because they're only half blood," Cereza agreed with growing dread. It explained everything: how the girls had been taken, the illusion of their deaths, and how they'd been kept hidden all this time, presumed dead by the rogue fal'Cie that had really been a Sage or Sages. "The girls wouldn't know; it's not like the Sages would tell them. They must've gotten so powerful by now," Cereza said quietly, "To hide from us after the war… commanding men in their ways."

"We need another council meeting," Jeanne breathed in complete exhaustion. With the addition of a powerful Sage or more of them who'd survived the war, they couldn't go charging in to destroy Cocoon anymore. Their numbers were far too few, and the Sages only gained in strength. They'd kept the illusion of being dead all this time, and had kidnapped five of their children right under their doorstep; this changed everything. The Umbra didn't have enough strength to shake free a world with Sages. Just as they had been producing, so also might've been the Sages.

Cereza had a horrid thought then, one that hollowed her stomach inside. "Jeanne; do you think the Sages raped them with the men?"

Jeanne closed her eyes in the most severe pain. "They… Their bodies would be wizened by age. Our girls were never pregnant. Perhaps… perhaps age has taken that from them." It was a feeble hope. Though the Sages paid a pricey trade off with more power as they aged, Balder had still been able to impregnate Rosa, Cereza's mother in his old age. More likely that they had spawned with the females of their world and allowed both the half-children and father to try to impregnate them.

Cereza didn't voice her speculations because she reckoned Jeanne already knew them. They could only hope against that way. Cereza kissed the top of her head. "I'll call another council meeting. We should summon the other tribes' leaders when we're done discussing how to proceed."

Cereza wished they had other ways.

**XXX**

Lightning and Odile came down to a breakfast that they shared with Cereza and Fang alone who seemed to lack her natural zest. By the end of the meal, she seemed particularly stressed, "Girls," Cereza confessed to them in trying to explain, "Jeanne and I have much on our plates today. All of us do; between searching for Raina, complications with the men and tribes, and our duties with the Yun community, we're going to be gone into the afternoon and day."

"That's okay, Mum." Odile forgave easily.

"You keep saying searching for my mom," Lightning pointed out more accusingly. "Where is she? Why did she leave and nobody knows where she is?"

"Raina didn't leave us by choice." Cereza said, casting a glance at Fang, "She was kicked out of our ranks. Your mother's one of the purest of us, Lightning. We never thought you'd come back to us. So she left without a way for us to find her."

"I see," Lightning said, though she didn't really. Weren't they Witch-like-Gods? Finding Raina should be easy. Sage had always been able to find them by the Umbra blood in their veins.

Cereza still seemed strained. "Fang can show you around Paradiso, but you're not trained enough to walk on foot among the Gran Pulse wilds yet, and Jeanne and I prefer to take you there ourselves when we can. Rhea and some of the other girls will be at the coliseum during the afternoon if you want to join them to watch or train. We have hot springs, a bit of woods, some places you can climb or go to view here if you want nature, or other statues and art you can admire… Fang can show you many things in Paradiso, and we can save Gran Pulse for later."

"We understand," Odile agreed. Cereza kissed her head and Lightning's.

"I'm sorry we can't be here always."

Odile forgave her again quite easily before, with a last glance, they were left with Fang.

"Where would you like to go today?" Fang asked politely. Lightning cast a furtive glance at Odile, who smiled pleasantly. They couldn't really pass this chance or other opportunities with Fang, not when Cereza or Jeanne could come back early, especially with their Witch Time abilities to slow the progression of the day, but she ached to ask of Fang again. Fang made it so very easy for them. "Or we could start the morning with that," Fang detected off the glance.

Lightning wanted to say no to her, that they could wait or do it never again, but her mission contained Fang's freedom in it, and Lightning had to bring back the baby to Sage. So, instead, she meekly agreed. "Okay."

Lightning and Odile followed Fang to her bedroom where she had them gawking in minutes and clinging to each other in bed. Odile took Fang's first ride again in her growingly-favorite position before Lightning went next, using the same, as it held the best chances for pregnancy. She came six times to Fang's four and had to stop for the aching. Fang displayed no such similar issue as Odile greedily milked her three more after that. Still sore, Odile decidedly made it infinitely worse by changing their position. Fang lay on her side and pumped into her, Odile squeezing and kissing bits at her back. By the time Fang finished her second rounds with her, Lightning lay sweating and gasping, barely able to move her legs. She panted in incredulity as Odile motioned Fang for one more time.

"How?" Lightning panted. Odile chuckled and kissed her again. Lightning's eyelids fluttered in deep exhaustion. She passed out before Odile came again.

When she woke up again, Fang was standing without clothes. Odile mewled contentedly, clinging to her warm, wet side. Lightning suddenly remembered Odile dousing the crevasse of her ass with a mixture of all their lust. She flushed with the thought of it; that couldn't have helped the overwhelming ache between her legs. She might not go anywhere like this, and she was so thirsty— then Fang arrived with two cups of water for the both of them. Odile purred with taking hers and Lightning thanked Fang, who dismissed it, then started bent over and scooped her up easily. Lightning choked on her water as Fang carried her into the bathroom and deposited her into the long, steaming tub. "Oh, my Gods," Lightning choked as Fang told her to wait a moment and returned with a grinning Odile that she asked how she should place.

"Between her legs," Odile said gleefully, "My favorite spot."

Fang obeyed accordingly and gently placed her in, getting half soaked herself in the process. "I'll be right back." Fang said to Odile's great smirk and returned with a little jar. "This is for swelling," she explained, placing it on the side of the bath, "You should feel better faster with it."

"Ohh!" Odile chirped, "Why didn't you show us before? Lightning's ass can use some of this."

Lightning squeezed her arm hard.

"What? She was there!"

"I'm going to shower," Fang told them in the tub, "I'll be right there if you need to call for anything. Perhaps we could eat something after, then proceed how you like."

"That would be perfect, Fang." Odile smiled, quite contented.

"Thanks," Lightning added again as she stepped into the close shower to rinse them off.

"I like taking baths with you more often," Odile claimed as Lightning started on her long hair. "I haven't felt dirty once since coming here," she cast Lightning a smile, "Not even when we are."

Lightning squeezed her, but she couldn't agree. Not with Fang in the shower right beside them, cleaning off. Odile was probably just too happy to be free with Lightning for it to kick in yet, but it would eventually. Lightning wouldn't speed up that process. Odile deserved every small patch of happiness that she could get. Even if it weighed on Lightning, it was better to leave Odile in her bliss while it lasted. Lightning would be there for her when it caught up.

Odile relaxed with her in the tub, sighing pleasantly as they washed. Lightning kissed her cheek when they were done and together, they applied each other's cream, which surprisingly cooled all their sores pleasingly very fast.

"Let's get some lunch," Lightning said, when they all were out and dressed. Fang followed after faithfully. "You said there's meat in a back ice house?" Lightning asked, at least wanting to make something pleasing for Fang. The men had been big meat eaters too, and Odile and she both knew how to cook right. Fang led them to the back where they chose from a selection of foreign meats they'd never seen.

"What's thick and juiciest?" Lightning asked of Fang.

"Besides you, of course." Odile charmed with a smile and made all around her fluster a bit.

"Gui's pretty good…" Fang mentioned, sucking in a breath at the boner the scents rose in the cold place. Lightning and Odile started to cut a few slabs from the arm. "I can do that," Fang started to reach for the knives they'd brought from Odile's hand, but Lightning waved her off.

"It's okay," Lightning waved her off, "We've got it, Fang. We have a good recipe we want to make." After her insistence to help, Lightning and Odile let her carry in the slabs on the order that they'd make the meat, which Lightning got onto straight away after Fang showed her the cupboard of spices and salts. Odile fetched a few potatoes from the basement and roasted them over the kitchen oven flame on the top rack while Lightning potted the marinade to brush over the steaks while they were being fire-charred beneath them. Fang cut fresh greenbeans with a sideways glance as they cooked the steaks.

"How do you like yours done?" Lightning asked Fang, who mumbled about rare being nice.

"Any salt?" Lightning asked as she seasoned the meat.

"Yes!" Fang almost said vehemently, as if afraid she'd go without. Lightning and Odile glanced at her and she made a noise in her throat. "Please," she added, "Lots of salt."

"Tell me when," Lightning suggested as she sprinkled and brushed it onto the meat. Fang almost seemed to doze off, she was there such a time, "Fang?" Lightning asked, testing.

"Yes?"

"Is that enough meat with your salt, or should I removed some?"

"Just a little more…" Fang asked, and Lightning could practically see her salivating.

"You know the meat was already salted to keep fresh in the freezer, right?" Lightning added just a tiny bit more, then stopped slaughtering the meat with it.

"I'll like it," Fang assured, then mumbled to herself or Lightning. "They should put more salt on things."

Lightning smiled; she could smell the rank of saltiness, Fang had used so much. "I hope so," Lightning took the rare meat from the fire and finished the last one she had as Fang hung the beans from a metal pole above the fire, perfect for hanging a pot. Minus Fang's incredibly salty meat, the scents wafting were delicious and Lightning could feel herself getting warm, though whether that was from Fang or the food, she couldn't honestly tell.

"I think we can eat now," Lightning said when she couldn't stand it anymore, even with the beans yet to be done. Odile cast her a grin, well aware of her predicament. Back at the castle, she'd always have portioned Lightning off some because Lightning could barely wait until the men were done to start eating.

They plated their steaks and potatoes and anxiously started digging in. The meat turned out even better than Lightning had expected too; she almost groaned. At the end of the table, if Lightning had still had any reservations about Fang, they were fast in fading as Fang wolfed down the steak.

Fang got up after a few minutes and Lightning could smell her fizzing. To Odile and Lightning's incredulous eyes, she grabbed the salt shaker from the counter and sat back down, then noticed their eyes. "It's for my potato," Fang offered to explain to their eyebrows, which Lightning's felt sky high. "The steak is perfect. Thank you for making lunch."

Lightning warmed a little at the compliment, not used to getting that without a slap on the ass and a 'good woman' to go with it. Cooking was the least of things she could do back for Fang.

Odile only finished half, then pushed her plate to Lightning, who almost devoured it in a second, then thought to ask Fang. "Would you like some?" Lightning saw it in her eyes, even though Fang declined. She cut it in half again and pushed a portion to Fang's dish.

"Thanks," Fang said reluctantly, and devoured the rest of the steak.

Odile watched them in amusement. "I wonder why we've never brought food into sex, Light. You two would go crazy for it. Food and maybe salt for Fang."

Fang and Lightning both flushed.

"Would you like to go somewhere after this?" Fang asked when she finally controlled her cheeks again, then added. "Or… we could…"

"Use food?" Odile asked with a smile.

"We'll go out," Lightning said, casting Odile a sharp look in her embarrassment. "What place would you recommend, Fang?"

Grabbing some jerky for snacks and water flasks, Fang took them to the woods back behind the far stretches of lush growth and springs, but warned them they couldn't breach the other side of the wood, which entered into fiend territory again. Lightning and Odile walked along behind Fang as she led them through pretty trees and rocky slopes they climbed to top even higher on the cliffs. At the top of a tallest ledge in the trees, they caught a beautiful view of the Umbra Paradiso home from above, like a wonderland of beauty from that place they reached.

Lightning was getting pretty warm with Fang's constant presence and she could smell her lover oozing as well as they started down. She couldn't imagine how blue-balled Fang must've felt like that. Odile kissed her cheek and whispered, getting more intimate as they went along, which helped Lightning not at all, until Odile finally spoke up to Fang and blurted it frankly. "Will there be people at the springs? We could all use some relief."

"Probably not at this hour," Fang confessed with an exhale, and Lightning wondered if there was any relief in how she said it. If not to fuck them, at least to help the raging boner she held. "Umbra usually go at night, and Jeanne sounded like they'd all be pretty busy when she talked to me this morning."

"Let's go there," Odile directed, and Fang led them right away. When they reached the springs, they were thankfully deserted, and half hidden in an oasis by the rocks. "You can go first, Lightning." Odile said, stripping of her clothes.

"Will this help?" Lightning asked Fang with rising guilt.

"It won't hurt." Fang stripped and Lightning could see how wet she was at the tip. Fang waited for her to remove her clothes as well before she glanced to Odile to see how she wanted to do this.

"Oh, I'm in command?" Odile grinned. "Get your legs up, Lightning."

"What?"

"You heard me," Odile ordered, "Legs on Fang now!"

"Odile," Lightning flustered before she was kissing her, kissing Odile as she felt her legs pulled up against Fang's body. On her knees, Fang cupped a hand around her ass and pulled her in.

"Are you ready?" She asked as usual.

"We're ready," Odile confirmed as Lightning's side and took her hand. Lightning squeaked, eyes fluttering as Fang pushed in. Knees clenching over Fang's shoulders in seconds, she was half-lifted around the ass as Fang held a thigh for support and pushed in. Odile kissed her again with a favorite hand to her breasts. Lightning was mewling in minutes and gushed onto Fang, who flooded her so fully, she could barely speak. Then, somewhere between her second gushing or fifth, Odile ended up on top of her face first, knees squeezing around Fang's hips to feel their gushing as they came, which she happily came on top of, dousing Lightning's sex.

When Lightning almost broke again from so much sex and her legs finally fell from the strain, Odile rescued her again. "Now do me," Odile requested like an order. Fang took her hips and pulled Odile down a few inches, matching them up perfectly to kiss as she elevated Odile's backside a bit and took her between the legs. Lightning kissed her so passionately, caught so far in her lust as Odile's body rubbed her with Fang's thrusts, her legs squeezing around Fang. "Lightninggg," Odile moaned when she collapsed in total exhaustion on Lightning. Lightning felt so hot with her press of skin, drenched with lust from all of them.

Odile moaned, so contented. "Let's do that againnn."

Lightning choked, "You're fucking crazy."

"Crazy for you, Lightning." Odile smiled, so dazed, she was spilling corny, romantic things. Fang waited near their rears for instruction.

"If you don't want anything, we're done," Lightning excused her. Fang sadly walked away for the springs. Lightning relaxed back to the grass, breathing deeply in, Odile squished so comfortably to her skin. They stayed there awhile, occasionally kissing and muttering sweet things before Odile finally rolled off. "Springs," she directed, tugging over Lightning to them. They all relaxed awhile yet. Lightning pulled over their little satchel and pulled out some jerky sticks, which Odile refused, but Fang accepted. Lightning eased in relaxing, Odile warming her still.

Fang checked the position of the sun in the sky. "We could go to the coliseum," she suggested, "See if you want to try any more training?"

"Yes, we should," Odile claimed, surprising Lightning who expected to have to tell her no more sexing.

Lightning, Odile, and Fang eventually got out of the spring to air-dry since they had no towels around. Fang was still hard without even a break from her pleasuring them. Her tanned, scarred body glistened in the sun as she dried. Why hadn't the Umbra removed Fang's scars, she wondered, when every other person in Paradiso had flawless skin? But Lightning wouldn't mention Fang's scars again, not anytime soon when she'd been so closed off about them.

They dressed when they'd reached an acceptable dryness, Odile still wringing out her long hair by the time they were done. "Here," Fang volunteered, stepping over to take it from her. She proceeded to twist it and squeezed it out harder than either of them could, then released it when no more drips would come. Not a single strand broke, Lightning noted again. There was something curious about that. Even using normal brushes between them, Lightning and Odile's hair never came away into the brush.

"Fang," Lightning asked, just mildly curious of it. Fang glanced her way as they started to the coliseum. "Is there something special about Umbra hair? Aside from the whole growing, retracting, and wearing thing, I mean…"

"It's durable, if that's what you mean," Fang explained, "Umbra hair doesn't rip like mine would. It feels the same, but it's durable as a leather vest, especially when Umbra strand it over as clothes."

Odile smiled at that. "See, Lightning? Practicality."

"Forget it," Lightning muttered.

They continued into the coliseum, which had emptied this late in the day. Lightning wondered if Rhea had gone home or if Odile's parents were there yet; either way, the sun was starting to crest its downward setting as it did around five in this season. "We shouldn't take too long," Lightning commented, "Jeanne and Cereza might be home already."

"We can practice Witch Time a few times then," Odile said, sitting down with Lightning, who sat beside her to start their meditation.

"I don't know how to start it."

Odile shrugged, "Just try to concentrate on it, I suppose?" Fang sat against the other wall, watching them quietly.

Odile and Lightning closed their eyes again. Lightning put her hand over Odile's as they tried to call up soothing words Jeanne and Cereza had said yesterday to get them to this state. Lightning had a getting to the same state of Jeanne's coaching, so she pictured Odile instead, nice and soothing as she spoke to her and lulled her into that same, calming state of yesterday. Lightning floated in the peace of it and eventually, a curious sort of streaming filled her mind, like water, but not quite. Lightning reached out to touch it in her mind and something snapped. Her eyes popped open to see a familiar, purplish hue around them once again.

"Whoa," Odile gazed around, "Did you do that?"

In another blink, it was gone, sustained for only a small second.

"Did you see them in your head?" Lightning asked, not knowing how to sustain the out-of-space time, but it was something they could ask Odile's mothers when they got back. "You saw the flowing?"

Odile quirked an eyebrow. "Were you picturing me again?"

"Stop that," Lightning mumbled, extremely sheepish, and didn't tell Odile she _had _been picturing her first. "Let's try again. You try to sink into it this time."

"M'kay," Odile said as she closed her eyes, smile amused, "I'll try this 'sinking in,' Lightning."

Lightning closed her eyes again to try to get to that same place. It took long, relaxing, deep minutes to fall back into it. When the stream-like flows surrounded her again, Lightning stayed in the middle of them and didn't reach out again. It took a few minutes longer being surrounded by those flows before something sucked her in to open her eyes again. Around them, the purplish hue floated once again.

"You did it! Did you see the streams this time?"

"Shh!" Odile quieted, but it was too late, the magic snapped away.

"You were holding it," Lightning picked out. "How did you do that?"

"I don't know," Odile shrugged, "Concentration? But I didn't see any 'flowing' going on."

Lightning's eyebrows drew together. "You didn't?"

"Nope."

Lightning's brows tightened as she observed a tweak of a smile. "You're lying."

"You'll never know," Odile winked. Lightning rolled her eyes at it. "Come on," Odile encouraged, "You try again to hang onto it."

They tried quite a few more times until the sun had drifted over the edge with the rise of the moon starting in. With a bit of progress, they both could only hold it for a few seconds without other distractions kicking in. Sweating a little from the effort of all it, they finally stood with Fang and started back to the villa again.


	18. Chapter 18

"Mummies!" A little pellet of a missile fired straight into Odile like a gun, knocking her back into Lightning, who fell onto Fang, who was thankfully strong enough to hold them all up.

"Whoa, kitten," Odile panted, the wind knocked out of her by the little one, "I am not your mother."

Rhea, who'd fired at her dead set, pulled away blushing all cutely. "Oh… sorry Jihl!"

"It's okay," Odile chuckled, "You okay, kitten?"

"I'm okay," Rhea assured her, scuttling over back to the table, "You have a big bosom that's like a squishy cushion."

Odile cast Lightning a grin.

"Rhea…" Fang admonished as they moved in.

"What? I said bosom, not breasts! Why do I keep getting yelled at when I say the right thing!"

Odile came in behind her with a grin. "You're just precious, Sweetie." Odile nodded to a little cloth covering a bump on the table. "What have you there, Rhea?"

"It's a loaf of bread." Rhea claimed, "Or it's going to be once this bloody fucking dough rises."

"Rhea!" Fang's eyes went wide and guilty, "Don't say that."

"Why? You say it whenever you're aggravated enough."

"They're grown-up words," Fang chastised, "Not for sweet little girls."

Rhea snorted, then glanced at Odile. "Anyway, I'm trying to make it before mummies find me again."

"Are you hiding from them?" Odile asked, observing her in the middle of the kitchen.

"Yeah! We're playing hide and seek."

"Rhea… do they know you're playing it with them?" Fang double-checked with a sideways glance.

"Wellll… I had to give the dough time to rise, you know? So, I took a little headstart." Fang slapped her head and groaned.

"How long has it been rising?" Lightning asked and, seeing the pretty-small loaf of it, Odile reckoned that a good question.

"About ten minutes!" Rhea said proudly, "And I been watching it the whole time. It hasn't grown yettt… but any minute now, it'll puff up like a beast! And I don't wanna miss it."

"That'd be something," Odile chuckled, "Lightning and I used to bake bread for men all the time, and it never rose that fast."

"Eww, men," Rhea's adorable little features crinkled.

Odile smiled. "Yes, ew."

Rhea's little brows drew together then. "So… how long did it take to rise when you made it?"

"A few hours, usually three."

"Three hours!" Rhea cried in horror.

The front door slammed in so hard, the house shook. "Fang, is Rhea— RHEA!" Jeanne called out in panic upon seeing her.

"Ahh!" Rhea snapped into Witch Time, which drew them all in but Fang and didn't save her at all from getting plucked up from the tall chair firmly and snatched to Jeanne's chest.

"Don't do that, don't you ever do that, Rhea! Don't scare me and Cereza like that!"

"Mummy…!" Rhea kick-flailed at the air, completely helpless in Jeanne's stronger hold. "I'm sorry, Mummy! I just wanted to make you bread!"

"Oh, Gods," Jeanne squeezed her to her front so firmly, "Rhea," Jeanne kissed the top of her sweet little head, Cereza slumped to the wall in utter relief. Jeanne hugged her to her body completely, "Don't do that to us, Rhea." Time warped around them as they pulled free from the bubble.

"I'm sorry, Mum," Rhea apologized much more sadly. "I just wanted to make you some bread." She twiddled her feet hanging in the air, "It has honey in it and everything, like you like." Jeanne squeezed her and kissed her head once more before extracting Rhea from her again.

"Promise me you won't run off like that again, Rhea. You had me and Cereza so scared."

"I promise, Mum."

Jeanne finally put her down on her own two feet again. She ran over to Cereza and lifted her arms. Cereza picked her right up similarly, resting Rhea comfortably on her hip as the little one hugged her and apologized again. Cereza kissed her head too.

"Mummy," Rhea asked in Cereza's arms, "How long does dough take to rise?"

Cereza stroked a hand through Rhea's two-toned hair, "A few hours, Sweetie. Two or three." Rhea slumped, deflated against her mother. Cereza pulled out a curious-looking globe on a little stick from… Odile wasn't sure where and presented it to her little daughter. "It's okay, Sweets." Rhea eagerly took the little treat and stuck the little globe-end in her mouth. "Mummy and I appreciate the effort and the thought you put into making it for us."

"But I might be asleep in three hours." Rhea claimed sadly.

"Since when?" Cereza chuckled, making Rhea guilty-smile about it.

"Are you girls hungry?" Jeanne asked with a tired sigh, and _two _stomachs responded greedily to their owners' expenses. Odile grinned wolfishly, so amused with her woman.

"We'll check into the cellar," Odile claimed, taking Lightning's arm with her, then whispered to her girl quieter. "See if it's a good place to make love to you." Lightning went starkly pink and squeezed her arm tightly.

"Bring up whatever you like," Jeanne offered, voice drifting as they descended into the cellar. "Let's find a meat you like from the ice house, Fang."

Odile reached the bottom floor with Lightning and kissed her girlfriend's sweet cheek. She could smell Lightning's warmth again, but it could equally be from the scents down here as much as lingering effect from Fang. "Go crazy, luv," Odile encouraged, "I'm going to find something to stick you down here."

"Please don't." Lightning started milling through the closest of barrels and sacks consciously.

"You've gotten so shy since we came here, Sweetie." Odile casually picked through foods in the other direction.

"You didn't tease about our sex-capades in Cocoon so badly."

"To who, the men?" Odile clucked, "Of course not, Baby."

"In front of your moms is better?"

"Infinitely," Odile agreed. She plucked up a banana between her fingers and mentally measured the fruit against Fang. Too squishy. It compared nothing to the size of Fang. "You get so cute here; I like being able to tease my girlfriend so openly." Odile checked Lightning's way, who suspiciously had her back turned at the mention of 'girlfriend,' something that'd be considered heinous to say in Cocoon.

Lightning had called her that once, when they were younger and not yet defiled. Lightning had said it to her quietly in the kitchen, in a special, private moment when Odile had sidled her some more food for her ever-questing appetite. She'd been holding her hands and blushing a little, one of her 'I love you's' having just escaped her lips. Odile had kissed her forehead and it'd caught her by surprise when Lightning murmured about Odile being like her girlfriend. It'd been Odile's fault when she asked it on the second time. "Are we… girlfriends?"

Lightning had been snatched from her, overheard and taken right for it. Lightning had been screaming her apologies to the man that held her and carried her straight to the whipping post for her first lashing. Odile tried to follow, but the man kicked her right in the knee so powerfully, she'd collapsed. She heard Lightning sobbing and followed it along the wall on her injured leg. When she finally found Lightning again, she'd been naked and crying, hogtied to the whipping post in the courtyard with the man looming over her, weapon in hand. "I didn't mean it!" Lightning had been crying as he pulled back his arm, "I didn't mean it…"

"NO!" A louder voice called over her sobs and grabbed his whipping wrist. It'd been a frail, old man, but he radiated power. The man holding the whip had stopped immediately when the old one touched him, and then turned away. He knelt beside Lightning kindly and put a hand on her shoulder. Lightning crumpled into his soothing as he untied her hands.

It was this and other instances that had twisted her frail Lightning into Sage's fatherly warmth. Even Odile had bought it for a time with the kindness he showed to them like no other man, making 'allowances' and stopping certain punishments over their relationship, except in the instances they'd gone 'too far' for his control. It was how he'd warped her Lightning, and why Odile wouldn't press against Sage directly. She didn't even know if Lightning would choose her over Sage.

So, Odile would take it slowly and ease Lightning out of her insanity. This, she didn't mind one bit.

"Lightning," Lightning shivered as she came in behind her and wrapped arms around her back, knowing Lightning was remembering the same thing. Lightning closed her eyes and leaned against her, trembling in her arms.

"We can't get used to it," Lightning insisted weakly, "We… we don't know how it'll be when we get back."

Odile said nothing and kissed her girlfriend's neck. Someday, she would have Lightning freely, and Sage and all those men would pay for turning her so frail like this.

Odile vowed to that.

**XXX**

Halfway into the night, Lightning's belly rumbled again, left too empty from a dinner she only ate from in moderation, too shy about the way everyone else took so little. She shouldn't accustom herself to this either, to eating all she wanted whenever she could have it, but dammit, how her stomach ached at the thought of that cellar of food, free to pick from without consequence for taking too much or overeating a woman's share of the food. Lightning's stomach rumbled so deeply, she could feel it in her groin so embarrassingly, craving that immense desire for food in her bones.

Lightning grimaced, gazing down at the traitorous belly that would move her from her spot with Odile. She'd worry about becoming unshapely if their days here hadn't been plagued with so much overwhelming sex while here. Guilt weighed heavily in Lightning, but every time Fang entered her, she got lost in the feeling with Odile kissing and making sweet love all over her. Lightning had never experienced such soft sex before they were healed, especially not with a dick, and despite the flood of guilt that plagued her in the before-and-after of her and Odile's bouts with Fang, Lightning couldn't help falling into the trance when Fang took them to other places.

But now her mind had wandered, and thinking of the incredible sex she shared with Odile and Fang only made Lightning ache more in her hunger. What was with this food anyway? It was so fresh, delightful, and full of taste and flavor, so completely different from what she was fast considering the bland food of Cocoon. She hadn't even prepared it differently, but it'd been the tastiest thing she'd ever sucked in her life—though she wouldn't tell Odile that. If Odile really did ever bring food into their sex life, Lightning would happily play to her every whim, and great— now she was thinking about Odile fucking her with foods and it made Lightning so very warm about it.

The discovery must never be made.

Lightning eased Odile off her again and dressed to Odile's faint complaints. She hurried downstairs into the kitchen where Fang stood in front of the oven and baked. "Hi, Lightning," Fang greeted without turning her way. Lightning bit her lip, blushing, caught again in her food cravings. "The cellar's open," Fang informed, gesturing that way.

"What are you baking?" Lightning asked, still coy about seeming too anxious.

"Food first," Fang said in complete understanding of her predicament. "Then we can talk if you like."

"Thank you," Lightning breathed, the fresh scent of honey and bread overwhelming her senses. She disappeared quickly downstairs to scavenge.

She came back with more dried meats, some nuts, and a vegetable to make it feel lighter, at least. Fang poked the thing in the top compartment of the oven with a hot stick. "Is that Rhea's bread?" Lightning asked, depositing her foods on the table as she gathered a drink from the sink to wash it down.

"Yeah; she fell asleep while it was baking, so." Fang poked it one more time, then put down the stick in favor of another metal one with a flat end for lifting. She brought in to the table and placed it down before putting the fire-pan back away. Fang came and sat back down at the table. "Would you like some?"

The scents wafting from it were so invigorating, they were making her dizzy, but Lightning shook her head. "No, I… I'm…"

Fang broke off a generous piece and pushed it towards her anyway, much like she'd done with the steak at dinner. It only worsened the pounding craving in her head. "Go ahead," Fang said, "Jeanne and Cereza don't eat much bread. I'll take a small bit back to them, but they won't have much anyway." Lightning practically salivated looking at it and smelling the loaf, like all the best scents all together without the sweat and labor back home. Fang took off another big piece and took a bite herself, prompting Lightning to go and reach for the bread.

As soon as the honey-suckle flavor of herbs and thyme and that sweet, sweet bread touched her tongue, Lightning couldn't help it, she groaned and squeezed her legs, caught by such an ungodly clench as the succor and flavor of the honey manifested. "Oh, Gods," Lightning said when she could again, deeply flushed in embarrassment from the sounds she had made. "I'm sorry. That wasn't from you— the sweetness and the bread," Lightning choked on it in her throat when she realized, "I mean— you make me hot too," she paled with it, screwing her words so bad. "Not lewdly, I mean— "

"Thank you," Fang cut her off sweetly in her stumbling, "I'm glad I can satisfy you, Lightning. Lewdly or not." Lightning lowered her head as the guilt seeped back in, "Besides," Fang said sweetly, "I almost came for the gui this afternoon." Lightning looked up in surprise. Fang added simply with a shrug, "Good food's enjoyable. Umbra don't usually get that."

"I…" Lightning had to calm her racing heart as she continued, setting the rest of that sweet honey bread aside for eating later in private, when she was not oozing with Fang's emanating presence already, "Our food never tasted this good in Cocoon; I enjoyed it, but never to a fetish extent." She felt so warm, there wasn't even any denying it to be had. "It makes me so hungry for it," Lightning took up another piece of jerky to counter the sweet, delightful flavor still existing in her mouth from the bread. She washed down as much as she could of it with the water. "I feel like a glutton if I eat too much at dinner, but then I'm so hungry for it at night."

"Me too," Fang agreed. "But it's good that the food's so tasty for you here. And you can always sneak down during the night or early morning. I usually do."

"I might start doing that," Lightning confessed honestly because she didn't know how she'd get that desperately needed sleep after an exhausting day when her stomach craved other things so badly.

Fang observed the bread she'd put off to the side, then offered. "They have chocolate if you like sweet things."

"Chocolate?"

"You haven't have it?" Fang surmised from the question in her eyes about it. "It's a sweet that grows on trees, a sort of dinner treat."

Well, that explained it. "We don't grow many things in Cocoon. Some people like to as a hobby, but the fal'Cie provide our food for us over there."

Fang shrugged. "Maybe that's why food didn't taste as good there."

Lightning reckoned that a good reason for it, actually. "Maybe."

Fang waited a few seconds, then asked, "Would you like me to get some chocolate for you?"

"Oh, no," Lightning was already too warm without it; she'd embarrassed herself enough for one night. "That's okay. Maybe another time, I'll try it."

"Sure," Fang nodded agreeably, then stood, "I've got to get back, Lightning, but I'm sure we'll have more time tomorrow, and might catch each other snagging food again. I'll see you again then, okay?"

"Okay," Lightning agreed quietly as Fang politely took off from her, and watched her with a heavy heart as Fang disappeared around the bend.

**XXX**

"Knees up," Odile ordered the next day in Fang's bedroom, "I'm side-saddling."

"Odile…" her lover saddled between Fang's legs so comfortably, hovering just over her at slight angle to the right of Fang's body.

"Mum's coming with Rhea early," Odile groaned as she took Fang in at the angle and stiffened, oozing until she seated comfortably on Fang's lifted thigh as her other leg tucked in comfortably to Fang's body, "Can't do this while they're here." She took up an easy ride on Fang, hand braced between her breasts as she pulled Lightning over Fang's hip to kiss while Fang came into her, seed flowing. Fang started bumping back for Odile, who whined and pulled Lightning atop with her at the same angle. Lightning clamped her legs around Odile in sitting, and Fang catered to them completely, she even reached up to take Lightning's breasts between her fingers. Lightning gasped first in fright, then startling pleasure as Fang squeezed and tweaked her so bad, she came almost as much as Odile did on her dick.

"Okay," Odile finally said, slumped in total exhaustion when she could take not one more bump of Fang. Lightning felt her pleasure so similarly, she panted. "Easy sex," Odile said, then quickly followed it as she pulled off of Fang. "On Lightning."

Fang eased Lightning off as Odile slumped on the bed, ready to cuddle right against her, which she did when Fang helped her down again. "Easy," Lightning reminded as Fang hovered over her, so dazed, she could barely believe she hadn't just been riding Fang.

Fang dipped in like melted butter into Lightning, whom Odile held and kissed so lazily. Her heart raced with her gushing as Fang spilled into her so beautifully. Lightning whimpered, kissed and so overly sated as Fang heated her. Odile kissed her cheek as she overspilled again from Fang. "It's okay, Baby. Easy."

"So filling!" Lightning gasped before she suctioned so greedily clinging with Fang's leaving. Odile kissed her cheek as Fang rolled to the bed beside her, sweaty and taking her breather from them.

"No time to sleep today," Odile murmured, reminding as Lightning's eyes fluttered for contented rest. She breathed heavily, trying not to sleep for several long minutes of resting. Fang's breathing slowed from Odile's other side before, after a few more minutes of half-dozed resting, Fang's arms scooped under Odile.

Round two? Lightning feared, not ready for it. "Shower or tub?" Fang asked Odile, who curled like a cub in her arms.

"Shower," Odile decidedly, "Lightning'll fall asleep on me otherwise."

"I still might," Lightning rolled so exhaustedly to the edge of the bed and walked so Fang wouldn't have to carry her too.

"My babies need food," Odile said with a grin, reminding them both of their aches for hunger and Gods, something to drink. Lightning practically drank the shower water, she was so thirsty.

Cereza and Rhea came home in the midst of an early lunch of sensationally-cooked, meaty stew that she and Fang gobbled down the most considerably. Rhea delighted to being with Odile earlier today and took them out in the back to play a number of silly games she had created, then got even more excited when she learned she could practice powers with them. Lightning, Odile, Cereza, and Fang spent the afternoon playing around with the child as she broke the fountain in trying to wrestle and beat Fang.

"I'm sorry, Mummy," Rhea apologized, so truthfully cute and genuine, Lightning could see her getting away with a great manner of things this way.

They retreated back into the house where Rhea brought out a small chessboard and asked politely if she could school Odile in a game. Lightning and Odile had never played, so they left the little one to start off with Fang so they could learn the moves of the figures first.

Jeanne came home in the midst of making an early dinner between all of them. Cereza popped a sucker, which was what the little globes-on-a-stick were called, Lightning had learned from Jeanne.

"Would you like one?" Jeanne asked them kindly after giving one to little Rhea.

"They're really good!" Rhea shared. Fang excused herself to the other room after all that time with them and the smell of food, and Lightning didn't blame her, warm from her own oozing. She'd gone through so many panties since coming here, which seemed a necessity so she wouldn't drip into her pants.

"I'll have one," Odile accepted, then grinned when Lightning looked at her too long and declined. "Try it," she teased, sharing her sucker with Lightning by popping it into Lightning's mouth after she'd sucked it. Lightning reddened with the arousal she felt, especially when Odile popped it back into her own mouth. Food wasn't the only thing she was craving, and Odile knew it so slyly. It just got worse with the return of Fang.

At the dinner table, Lightning ate little for how wonderful it tasted. Something touched near her foot and Lightning choked as Odile's foot started gliding up her smooth leg. Lightning tried to give her pleading eyes, but she didn't understand them, or delighted, more likely as she scraped the foot along her skin. Lightning squeezed her legs together to try to control it, but all the scents combined so beautifully: the food, Odile, and the constant ooze from Fang; Lightning clenched so desperately between her legs and clenched her toes to stop it. Jeanne started standing and stirred the food over the fire, the scent strong enough to taste even without it being on her tongue, and then Odile's hand was there in the wrong place at the wrong time, and Lightning stiffened with a half-gasping inhale as an untimely seize had her flushing and seeing pink.

Odile rubbed her thigh where the pants were wet and smiled. Lightning stared at her plate, so incredibly stiff and flushed as she sat tightly in that seat. The parents were staring, she thought in utter horror.

But when Lightning finally peeped, only Fang glanced her way, which was hardly better, but she'd otherwise side-tracked Cereza, Rhea, and Jeanne.

Lightning was going to kill Odile for this. With a furtive scuttling, she was out of her seat and up the stairs with an amused chuckle following behind her.


	19. Chapter 19

**XXX**

After growling at Odile and practically throwing her to the bed for some unusually toppy fucking, Lightning rinsed with her purring lover in the shower again to get clean. "So refreshing, Light." Odile breathed, pressed to her. "So refreshing."

"I'll show you refreshing," Lightning grumbled, still incredulous she had pulled that in front of her mothers. Lightning had barely gotten to eat anything for it all! Stupid constant state of arousal, and Odile using that as she pleased.

Odile simply smiled against her, warm under the running stream. Lightning rubbed the suds through her long hair again as she gradually eased. Despite Odile's questionable humor, they were actually doing quite well with the mission. Though she didn't know what Jeanne and Cereza did on their long disappearances during the day and it was concerning, it paled a minor point of noting with the progress they'd made. They hadn't talked to Sage since Fang's tumble; maybe it was time to report in again, let him know that they were okay.

"We should contact Sage," Lightning said, making Odile groan.

"Why? We haven't 'learned' anything and nothing's changed."

"He'll want to hear from us," Lightning announced, sure of this, then frowningly at Odile, "He hasn't heard your voice in days. He's probably worried."

"Okay, okay," Odile grumbled, pulling away, "Lemme get into bed first and we can just pop in to say hey."

Lightning allowed that for her particularities and dressed herself before she sat on the edge of the bed with Odile and took her hand. "Are you ready?" she asked, then shivered to the memory of Fang asking the same.

"Mmm," Odile murmured, and Lightning reached out to their father in Sage.

_I am here, Sweet Children, _Sage answered her call.

_Majesty. _Lightning thought, relief flooding her with the sound of his voice, as it often calmed her so easily.

_Hey, _Odile added.

_How do you fare, my children? Are you both well over there?_

_We're very well, _Lightning responded. _Getting along very easily in this place. Odile and I are blending more than perfectly here._

_Yes, _Odile added respectfully, _blending, as Lightning says._

_I am gladdened to hear that, _Sage echoed back gratefully, then paused.

_Don't worry, Majesty, _Lightning assured to the question in the silence there. _Nothing is wrong. Odile and I just wanted to contact you to keep you updated._

_I appreciate that, my dear. It warms my heart to hear you. How do you fare with Ragnarok, Lightning dear? I hope you have eased your fear._

Lightning told him back reverently, about the guilt she still had with Fang. _It hurts to do it to her there and after every time._

_It is a heavy cross you bear with such grace and love. Truly, there is no one in the worlds like you girls._

Lightning denied it, for Sage was right there and she knew there were others who would take her place for the Yuns. It wasn't everyone, of course, they couldn't all resolve to do what she had to to Fang, but there were enough good people between worlds.

Odile stroked her arm when it came to Fang and Lightning appreciated her support and love she shared. Lightning exchanged words that eased her heart with Sage, and finally closed out with him when the time had stretched on fairly long.

_Thank you for helping us, Majesty. _Lightning said, truly grateful for his attempts to ease her guilt and pain. It didn't, but it helped Lightning's resolve in this.

_I love you, my children._

Odile echoed it back after Lightning, then stirred as he left their minds. "Are you okay?" Lightning asked, seeing her pallor gray.

"I'm fine," Odile mumbled, out of the mood again.

"You didn't eat much at dinner either." Sometimes Sage's communications could be taxing, Lightning knew. "I'll bring you back something to eat if you want," Lightning promised.

"I love you," Odile said, seemingly out of the blue, and she didn't try to be intimate. Lightning frowned and fit to hug Odile from behind her on the bed.

"I love you too," Lightning said, kissing her head. She pulled away when Odile eased a little bit. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Odile echoed quietly, "Just a little dizzy... you should get us something to eat."

Lightning had thought so; for how much sex they had, it was amazing how little Odile ate. "I'll be right back." Lightning promised again.

Making her way from the bedroom again, Lightning went downstairs where a few mumbled curses were echoing from. "Fucking murmurs," Fang quieted when she entered the room, but she was glaring and bedraggled, running a hand through her scraggly hair in frustration.

"Fang? Are you okay?"

"I'm bloody fine," Fang growled angrily, which gave Lightning pause. The last time she'd seen Fang angry had been after the stairs…

"Did you have another headache?" Lightning asked uneasily.

"I said I'm fine," Fang grumbled, so irritated.

Lightning had a sinking feeling. "A warm cloth to the temples usually helps." She suggested, just to confirm it.

"I don't want your help!" Fang snapped and flipped. With a last glare to Lightning, she cast away.

**XXX**

Early the next morning, Fang appeared at her door with a sincere apology. "I did have a headache. You just caught me irritated." Lightning's head pounded with what that might mean about her communications to Sage, but Fang continued in front of her. "I'm sorry for yelling at you."

"Fang… it's okay," Lightning knew exactly how it was to make an apology to someone she really didn't want to, so she tried to make it easy on Fang.

"Please don't feel dissuaded from coming for food at night," Fang added, and Lightning couldn't tell if it was part of the apology or if Fang was asking. "I'm sorry for snapping. It won't happen again."

"We all have bad days." Lightning forgave, even without the apology. Fang had the worst bit of them.

"Is that Fang?" Odile practically hummed from the bed.

The day carried on with their usual, morning sex, though Lightning felt worse than most about it, Fang assured her it was fine again. Jeanne went out for long hours that day again, and Cereza took them to the coliseum for more training, then a couple more viewspots were they'd puffed out exhausted. A late, starving dinner followed where Lightning didn't get enough. She tentatively came down that night, and there was Fang, mild-mannered, polite, and just a tad distanced again. Lightning worked on breaking that through the days as their nightly mission to be fed became a regular occasion.

Days bled into a week and longer of this ritual they carried with Fang. Every morning, early or later, depending on Odile's parents, they had sweet sex with each other and Fang. They spent their afternoons varying on who was home or not to play. Lightning shared her fears with Odile on the communications with Sage, and they tested it only the once right in front of Fang, which proved as expected as Fang cradled her head and mumbled of humming. Odile claimed they had to stop communications unless absolutely necessary, and Lightning had to agree, if not just to keep from annoying Fang, then for the real possibility that she might be able to discern what they were saying. They told Sage this quickly in one more instance that week, and Lightning didn't try again after that for how much it bothered Fang.

Fang stayed the same: distant, polite, escorting them and treating them like their personal handmaiden. Lightning thought her at her best with Rhea, the only one she wasn't a polite robot around, but she kept hoping and trying to ease Fang's strain with the little things, like her salt favoring. While not wholly enthusiastic, she rather enjoyed the small, late night or early morning food-splurges she had with Fang, sure every now and again that she peeped at the real thing.

Lightning had to be careful, her guilt was so strong and growing heavier in her breast, but she thought maybe a baby step with Fang's dying humanity had been made. Maybe. She had to take it as it came and, outside of a sexual sense, it didn't come quickly with Fang.

Lightning hummed pleasantly in the drifting world of pleasing bliss, floating as the darkness around her shifted to the whimsy of a resting mind in peace. Everything felt warm in this land away, and Lightning sat in the midst of it undisturbed, tickled and at ease. Something powerful squeezed her so comfortably, wrapping Lightning in perpetual warmth. Her leg felt warm. The unusual spread of heat covered her whole thigh, not just the space between her legs this time. Lightning came into the awareness of that spreading warmth as she moved slowly into consciousness again.

"Mmm," Lightning blinked with the friction and found herself caged in familiar arms that wrapped around her front and back over her stomach. Long strands accompanied the reach around her, holding snugly to her body as the thigh-attached cub at her side dragged herself up and down Lightning's leg, thighs clenched over her own. It took Lightning a full minute in the waking process to realize Odile was humping her leg.

"What the hell?"

"Oh, good; you're awake." Odile purred and squeezed so tautly over Lightning's thigh. "I'm ready to come so bad."

"We just had sex," Lightning gawked in incredulity, casting her head to stare out the balcony door. "Two hours ago!" she judged by the position of the sun, and plucked at Odile's hair, which had taken to snuggling her in sex of late. Odile claimed it wasn't on purpose, but Lightning had sincere doubts.

"I knoow," Odile moaned, tucking her head against Lightning's as she continued to scrape her sex to Lightning's thigh. "It was soo good. You're so good," Odile clenched her legs tight with a squeeze catching her there. "Fuck mee."

"You didn't even wake me up!" Lightning gawked incredulously.

"You might've said no," Odile's legs squeezed tighter, almost enough to break the bone with her great and growing strength accumulated, "And I need you, Light. I need— " Odile's breath hitched as she came, a great flush of heat wetting the top and side of her thigh as Odile's caught lips pressed to her cheek with the gasp, inhaling so sweetly. "Ohhh," Odile breathed in such relief, reaching up to cup her cheek with a hand. "Oh, Baby."

Lightning reached back to brush away some of the fallen strands, which twitched at her touch so nervously. "There go our sheets," Lightning sighed as Odile's heart fluttered in beats, smushed to the side of her breast as she breathed in deeply.

"We'll bring Fang in here today," Odile purred breathlessly, kissing Lightning's chin and forehead. "No wasting." In another moment, Odile still clinging like a cub, Odile poked two long, slender fingers into Lightning and started pumping. "Join me, Baby."

Lightning sunk with her as fluttering warmth started to ooze with Odile's prodding. "So. Horny." Lightning mumbled, not that she was complaining as she turned Odile's cheek to receive her lips in coming. It was true: Fang gave incredible sex, but nothing could top the feeling of loving Odile like this, wholeheartedly into the intense loving of her body and being, even if she ran Lightning to breaking point with all this sex. It'd always be worth it to share Odile's warm loving.

Lightning came on the rush of that feeling.

"Mmm," Odile relaxed her legs down around her, still seated snugly on her hip as she played footsie. "You're so cozy." Odile relaxed, sucking on her fingers as she cuddled. She finally eased when her fingers were all clean, relaxing her arm over Lightning's belly. "Lightning…"

"Hmm?"

"How do you feel about piercing?"

Lightning blinked as she gazed down at the top of Odile's head on her breast. "You mean the Umbra piercings?"

"Maybe," Odile confessed, stroking her belly,

"They look like they'd hurt. And get in the way of things." Odile pouted, so Lightning gave her a situation she could grasp from it. "You wouldn't be able to hump my leg with them."

"Yes, I could." Odile rejected, "They're only on the outside lining of your leg," Odile traced the spots on Lightning from a couple of inches under her hip down the outer curve of her leg with two fingers. "Like that. Not in the way of anything."

"And the ones meeting down your collar over your breasts?" Lightning posed. Odile traced the line on her for that as well, starting with the one stud on Umbra's shoulders near their neck and traced down Lightning's front in a V, barely grazing the top of her breasts before reaching the middle point inbetween. "Now, think of them touching your giant breasts," Lightning told her, Odile pouting. "Or the ones going down your sides to your hips, or those from your shoulder," Lightning touched Odile's skin this time, from the small point where Fang's whited-out mark on her arm started down to where it cut off at the end.

"They're just little rings," Odile said, examining the spots on Lightning with her fingers.

"Do you even want to wear your hair?"

"That was the idea," Odile looked up at her with sad eyes, "Does that mean you wouldn't like them on me?"

"I'd like anything on you," Lightning said truthfully, and would. Nothing could mar Odile's beauty, least of all extensions of that hair Lightning loved so much. "You should just note where we might have difficulties."

"Mum said they didn't hurt if you rubbed on them in sex." Lightning's eyebrow hiked. Must've been Cereza. "She said the gold's mixed with adamantite, so they'll never fade or wear down, and that they're looser when her hair's not straining them to hold in place, so I could wear clothes on top of them if you really wanted to see me dress in something. I kind of like the thought of being able to strip in a second for you."

"You would," Lightning agreed to that, at least. She could already imagine the many ways Odile could tease her with that hair, keeping it on when it shouldn't be, cocooning Lightning to herself in unbreakable hair…

"Maybe you could get pierced with me." Odile suggested slyly, making Lightning frown.

"I'm not growing my hair."

"Not those," Odile dismissed, "Though, if you did do that, I'd throw you down so fast for sex."

"You already do that." Lightning pointed out.

"I meant a piercing for you…" she stroked her belly again and Lightning realized her eyes were concentrated that way too.

"Navel piercing?" Lightning asked in surprise, wondering if she'd gotten the idea from seeing it on someone here.

"I would lick it." Odile said deviously, "Lick it until you came all over me, and then you could lick me too."

Lightning shivered, even knowing she wouldn't. "We're going to get pregnant in a few months."

"Think about it," Odile said, crawling down her body some, "My tongue wrapping around it, dipping into your button and lapping." Already crouched between Lightning's legs, Odile dipped and did just that, but it wasn't to her belly button.

"Not fair," Lightning groaned as Odile picked up her legs with both hands and put them over her shoulders. "I'm going to be dead when Fang gets here."

"I'll go first," Odile volunteered with a smile, rubbing down her wet thighs as she ducked in.

Lightning writhed.


	20. Chapter 20

Fuck. Fang raced to rinse the lingering scent of Jeanne off in the shower with furious, quick rubs of soap to her body. After another horribly awkward fucking she'd shared with Jeanne and Cereza, Fang was late and fucking scrambling to remove the scents of last night. Jihl and Lightning would be here any moment and here she was, crusted with the scents of Jihl's parents all over her this morning.

Fang swore again quietly and scrubbed it off urgently. Fang rarely passed out after rounds of sexing without bathing, but Jeanne insisted on giving her breaks in-between when she deemed Fang needed them, and she must've just closed her eyes for a minute. Jeanne must've carried her back while she'd been sleeping, too kind to wake her up. And now this. Fuckk.

Fang heard the doorknob turning from the other room even before the voice called out, "Oh, Fang!" she glanced over her shoulder through the foggy-glass door, stressed and panting. She hoped the scent that'd drifted from her in the night wouldn't be too strong to detect, but she didn't know how much it'd have been without her present. And where was her shirt she'd thrown off to shower? Did it smell like Jeanne? The bathroom door opened then as Jihl called again, "Fang, dearie?"

"Just a minute!" Fang sweated, scrubbing everything so hard and fast.

"Ooh, the shower." Jihl perked with interest, "Mind if we join you, Sweetie?"

Oh, Go— od! The scent would be the least present in the shower, and by the time they were done, with the appetite Jihl had, they wouldn't be able to smell anything, even if it was there. "Yeah!" Fang called out to them eagerly, putting the soap back on the mount. "Sounds good. Come in."

Jihl opened the shower door first, as expected, and Lightning came in behind her, more timidly as she usually was before they started fucking. Fang reached for Jihl immediately in a position they could all share, pulling Jihl against her front, back-first, and leaned. "This okay?" Fang asked, double checking before she did anything.

"Ooh!" Jihl cooed in delight and snatched Lightning to her body as Fang suspected she would. "I like your thinking, Fang."

"Odile!" Lightning blurted, Jihl doing something to her already. Fang gripped her penis and rubbed fast to get the blood flowing quickly. Lightning's surprised scent helped.

"Are you ready?" Fang asked, knees a little bent as she gently guided Jihl's hips back and brushed her hair aside for the entry.

"I'm always ready, Precious," Jihl purred, and Fang entered, pulling her butt up a little further so she could take her at the right angle. Jihl gawked after a few inches, clinging tightly to Lightning and fingering her some way that was making Lightning smell strongly too.

"Fuck!" Jihl yelped and clenched down on her hard. "Right there. Right there."

Fang wasn't all the way in, but she knew what spot to hit. After a week and a half with these girls, Fang knew their every soft spot. Jihl shoved on her more roughly and clamped again. Fang would have her weeping in minutes. She waited for Jihl's control to break, the minor signs that revealed a woman was ready to go, and jammed into her more forcefully when she felt those twitches. As expected, Jihl seized, and Fang used her tight clamping and heat to come with her, as Jihl liked. Jihl panted, gripped Lightning tightly, and then Lightning was coming too, whether from the scents or whatever Jihl was doing to her up there, Fang couldn't tell, but she was just grateful for their masking scents.

Jihl panted in her arms, then demanded when she was ready, "Again. Make it— make it a double this time."

Fang obeyed accordingly and when Jihl seized over her again, she held it and rammed back into her, hitting that spot that had her reaming as she clutched poor Lightning, helpless to continue whatever she'd been doing in the state of her doubled bliss.

Supporting Jihl easily with one arm, Fang reached further with the other and touched Lightning between the legs, who gasped in shock and maybe fear before Fang nudgingly found her button between her folds. Fang worked fast on the sensitive spot and, before Jihl was done, she joined her in creaming. Fang bumped into Jihl a little further to make her clenching walls squeeze harder yet, allowing Fang to release. Jihl utterly choked in a third, impossible twist that had her guffawing breathlessly.

Fang released a puffed breath as she held the girls up in their shaking. Warm water overhead washed away the first traces of sweating easily.

"Ligh— Lightning," Jihl panted when she could pant again, "Holy shit,"

"I love you." Lightning whimpered, coming out of her feeling.

"Come out slow," Jihl ordered, innards greedily suckling to Fang in protest. Her legs gave way when Fang's support lightened, but Fang caught her easily. "Shit." Jihl panted from it in disbelief, resting so languidly between them. Fang gave them a few minutes and took them herself to enjoy the warm waters washing over their bodies.

"How would you like it, Lightning?" Fang asked finally and, as expected, Jihl did not allow the same position for Lightning. Of the few times Fang had taken Jihl that way, she'd never given it from behind to Lightning, and suspected she never would. Fang didn't need to know the details; Jeanne's pleading alone was enough of a reason.

"Hmm," Jihl observed their shower space. "Can you wall-sit with her?"

"For a time," Sliding down against the shower wall, Fang braced her feet to the opposite shower wall, length coming in handy as she still made a pleasant, 90ish degree angle for Lightning. She held up her hands to receive and guide her into her lap.

"Won't that hurt you?" Lightning asked in her ever submissive guilt about Fang.

"I have strong legs," Fang assured, "And have done this before. It's very pleasing." Lightning hesitantly came down on her lap. "Don't worry," Fang reassured again, "You're very light." Fang helped pull Lightning closer until she had her positioned over Fang's head to seat. "Are you ready?" Fang asked politely. Lightning nodded before Fang lowered her onto the throne seat. She gasped, especially as she pulled in, and flinched back when their bodies touched together in the seat.

It was probably the way she acted and spoke to Fang, refusing to ignore her when they came together in bed, doing niceties she didn't have to, and sometimes how she looked at Fang, but like Jeanne, Fang felt more like she was raping Lightning instead. She hated it like this.

Jihl guided Lightning at a reclined angle as Lightning panted, pleasure already seeping around Fang. "Go ahead," Jihl told her, taking Lightning's mouth from above.

Fang started rocking Lightning gently by her hips. Lightning came, and came, and came.

"Gods," Lightning gasped, clinging to Jihl with her arms. Fang gently bumped her again, winded and sweating from holding the position. Lightning stiffened again and gushed. Fang came into her too and winced.

"That's good," Jihl directed, helping Lightning extract from Fang. Fang sank to the shower floor, legs a little weak while they kissed and made love again. Fang took a long breather.

"Are you okay?" Lightning finally asked after long moments Fang had gotten to close her eyes. She knelt by Fang, who started to stand, break over.

"I'm good to go."

Lightning glanced at Jihl, then said, "We're done for now." Fang nodded and started to step out of the shower. "We'll make something to eat momentarily," Lightning called after her.

They cleaned themselves accordingly, the girls in the shower, Fang in the tub, and Fang managed to get yesterday's shirt to a safe place they wouldn't smell easily. By the time they'd finished up, Fang was starving and her belly ached in deep hunger. That was one thing she had no complaints about. Lightning and Jihl made good food.

Lightning asked after a favorite spot of hers near the viewpoint then, and Fang took them accordingly back to one of the prettiest places in Paradiso, the spot that overlooked the whole city. Fang sat idly by a tree near the raised rocky edge and idly laid back her head as Jihl and Lightning practiced talents they were growing ever-better at. She could feel herself oozing again and figured it only a matter of time before Jihl asked another position of her. Fang gazed up to the roof of treetops above them and watched puffs of clouds in the sky slowly move across the blue.

Leaves rustled nearby with her familiar scent. Fang's eyes turned upon Lightning, who offered her some of the jerky they had packed for today's venture. "Are you hungry?" she asked, holding out to Fang, who took it.

"Thanks."

Lightning sat beside her and Fang saw that Jihl had fallen asleep on the rocks over there. She took a bite of the dried-out, salty meat and savored the flavor of it on her tongue.

"Do you have a favorite part of Paradiso, Fang?"

"Rhea," Fang said as soon as the cute little darling came to mind. She glanced at Lightning, who smiled a little at the answer.

"She's pretty precious."

"Cereza and Jeanne did a good job with her. They're good parents."

"You influenced her too, Fang." Lightning gently pressed. "She has your charm."

Fang frowned and looked at her hands. "I hope not," she said, and meant it. Rhea was best in not taking her aspects; she'd get a better life from her mothers without Fang.

"Lightning?" Jihl asked, touching an empty rock beside her.

Lightning gave her an apologetic face, but said quietly before standing. "You'd make a good father, Fang."

Fang watched her return to Jihl, squinting and frowning at the offhand mention, something Lightning couldn't possibly deduce, and how had she? It was a frivolous and wild speculation, said merely out of kindness, and it bothered Fang. She was a rapist and a rape victim both, neither which were suitable to father over a family with that kind of past. She wouldn't _want _her child growing to know those things, yet she wouldn't hide them either. What kind of fucked up kid would that bring? Fang would make a horrible father to her offspring.

The girls laid together there on the rock, leaving Fang alone at the tree. Fang's jaw flexed and ticked as she tried to work out why Lightning would say such a thing. It had to be an offhand 'kindness,' one Fang found crueler than any others she'd given. In another world, Fang would've been happy to father a family, but that was a certainty Fang would never see. Lightning's 'kindness' made no sense; Fang had and would never experience that kind of thing.

Fang kept quiet when she led them back down, which wasn't unusual, so they didn't pick out anything. Amazingly, Jihl didn't want sex again just yet, but said they could make some food again. Fang was glad for it, too bothered to have pleased as would've been expected of her. Thankfully, Jeanne was there when they got home again, so no more sex would be expected of Fang until later tonight, though Fang could see Jihl was going to have Lightning again straightaway after they ate. And true enough, Jihl and Lightning suspiciously disappeared as soon as their plates were clean, ready again for another rough bumping together as they pleased.

"Will Rhea and Cereza be home soon?" Fang asked Jeanne.

"Rhea's going to be staying the night at Thalia and Ariadne's." Jeanne confessed, guilty eyes having trouble meeting Fang's.

"Oh," Fang knew what that meant. "What time do you need me?"

Fang was given a few idle hours of rest, which she spent in starting to shape a new balcony piece out of boredom more than anything else until it was time to service Cereza and Jeanne.

Fang hated these stints worse than any of the others she did. Neither Cereza nor Jeanne were into fucking her for more babies, and it made it the most awkward of situations when Fang pulled up to their bed, especially because neither wanted to ignore her, but knew better than to offer her things or ask after her well-being. Jeanne nights were spent feeling like a rapist again as Fang powerfully thrust and came into Jeanne. Jeanne didn't show her fear like Lightning, at least, but Fang could feel the guilt radiating and it made her wish they didn't have so much sympathy.

When she'd come into Jeanne more times than she could count, for that's all she strained for with Jeanne, pleasureless pumping with Cereza there, arousing, Jeanne lifted a hand up and touched Fang's shoulder gently. "That's enough, Fang."

Fang pulled out of her as Jeanne's body tried to cling. Cereza took her into the orgasm as Fang's effect radiated. Fang breathed hard on the bed, sweaty and exhausted. Jeanne and Cereza didn't move to check on her, which Fang preferred, before she gathered enough breath to roll up off the bed and go to their shower to get clean, as was the usual route Fang took when she'd finished with them. Fang dressed in the clean clothes she'd brought with her when she'd rinsed and started to leave.

"Fang," Jeanne called before she could, as she usually did. The apology was clear in her eyes, but she never said it. "Thank you," Jeanne echoed instead, wanting to voice other things Fang couldn't hear when they did this every night and again.

Fang left without saying sorry either to Jeanne.

After depositing her dirty clothes in her bedroom and spraying them with the odor-killing perfume thing she'd gotten from Jeanne, Fang headed downstairs again to find something to eat. She found Lightning first, hovering over a pot that smelled meaty and delicious. Where otherwise she might've been happy to inhale such a delicious treat with fair company, it just made Fang angry.

"I made you a bowl," Lightning said kindly, straightening from the pot to gesture to a giant salad bowl on the table full of soup. "Extra salty."

"I don't want your soup!" Fang exploded so suddenly overcome with this anger. Where did Lightning get off? Raping her this morning to the comment Fang would never have in fatherhood to making her soup like a housewife. What kind of fucked up person was she?

Lightning stared at her like this was alien, like she'd never expected a breaking point in the woman she raped every fucking day. "And I don't want your help," Fang snarled, now right in front of her with Lightning's back to the wall. "You want to rape me? Rape me! Stop trying to be my fucking friend. I don't want or need you. You wanna know how I prefer it? Then fuck me like Jihl already and stop caring for my wellbeing!"

Lightning stared at her wordlessly, a little afraid, even. Fang didn't care that she could get a beating for this. This guilt stint had to end. Lightning wasn't going to become another Jeanne she did.

Fang glared with real malice, and finally stepped back from Lightning, who flinched when she'd even moved. Fang left without another sound, carrying that hatred with her right out the door.

She found herself in the back with the sweet scent of air she found so much more arousing than any Umbra she'd ever met. Fuck! How she hated them. Fang's knuckles burned with her bloodlust, and it was only after the pillar showed cracking that Fang realized she was bleeding. Bleeding and punching the fuck out of that support. Gods, she fucking hated them. Selfish, baby-humping pricks. Lightning felt bad? Yeah, imagine how she did! Fuckk.

Fang knew she was angry, too angry to be around the house like this. The whole foundation was in danger of crumbling on them if she stuck around, which sounded fucking great, so Fang took off quickly. She took off for the trees at the way back of the house, behind the gardens and the grass stretches where Rhea liked to run and play. Gods, Rhea. It was so hard to imagine that little one from an Umbra womb, she was such a sweet little thing. Fang sunk against the base of a tree in the forest as her little girl swam to the forefront of all Fang's thoughts, swallowing up Fang's rage. She stood so cute in Fang's mind. Hands shaking as she covered her face, Fang thought of that instead, using little Rhea to cure her anger.

Gradually, Fang stopped shaking.

Rhea was a shining bright spot, a little peace in her mind that mended Fang but a little. She breathed, thinking of her, the perfect little princess she'd made. Fang had a lot of princesses in her time, those little tykes she sometimes glimpsed in passing and thought 'could that be them?' Rhea's was the only face of a daughter she knew, but Fang had others, many others she didn't know, kids like Roma's that Fang had given her as well. Kids that Fang had given to those who didn't want her as well. How many half-Umbras' and full blooded Yuns did she have? Fang didn't even know. She couldn't have counted the Umbras; her life had been plagued with them coming over and over again. But the Yuns…

How many unknown Yuns bore her curse out there? How many had she fathered that'd be used as she had been? Fang knew the number of Yuns she had; she remembered every one of them, but her successes or failures, she could only guess by who had come back for some. And Yuns weren't like these fruitless Umbra who took months of work to produce only one; Yuns were fertile and often had more than one. Fang couldn't imagine how many children she might really have with all the women she'd raped for them… including Summer, her first and only love back then.

Fang's heart ached at the thought of her pretty face again, how well she'd aged, how beautiful she'd been… Fang had dreamed of giving her children once. That dream shattered in what she'd done. Fang would never forgive herself any of those sins, but Summer's especially stung. Those amber-flecked eyes would forever haunt Fang's broken mind.

Fang sat there out amidst the trees as it started to drizzle some. Leaning back against the trunk, the sky's tears bled with Fang's, and with them, her mind numbed.

When Fang was finally ready to go back inside, she picked herself off the ground and trudged. The pillar she had struck had cracked up its spine, and it'd be something Fang would show Jeanne come morning. Making her way back upstairs for her bedroom, the salty whiff of meaty bits took Fang off guard, and then Fang saw the bowl from downstairs where she'd exploded at Lightning. It sat outside her door with a plate on top and a little scribble of some illegible writing. Moving the top plate aside, Fang found it full of the meaty soup Lightning had made, left outside her door to wait for her when she'd come home. Fang's stomach churned. Taking the large bowl away, Fang disappeared into her room.


	21. Chapter 21

Odile perked when Lightning reappeared in their room, quite happy as she always was to see her girlfriend. "Smells like you brought me something," Odile commented and Lightning gave her a weak attempt at a smile.

"Soup." Lightning crossed the room to Odile, who took the well-made treat from her woman for a taste.

"After-sex dinner in bed? I'm spoiled." Odile cast her a wicked grin of appreciation, but Lightning still seemed dejected when she sat down next to her on the bed. "What's wrong?" Odile asked, holding up the delicious-tasting bowl to her. "You want some too?"

"Odile…" Lightning breathed uneasily, not meeting her eye. "We have to talk about something."

Odile paused in eating and swallowed her last bite roughly. When Lightning didn't go on to elaborate at once, she put her bowl down, fearing the worst. What had Sage done this time? "Lightning, what's wrong?" she touched her girlfriend's leg, then moved up to take her hand when Lightning still didn't respond. "Luv?"

"It's about Fang." Lightning started, hesitating to go on. Immediately, Odile suspected she might be guilt-tripping again.

"What about her?" Odile asked, scooting closer in preparation to sooth her again.

"I…" Lightning bit her lip and tried again, "Why do you treat Fang… the way you do?"

Odile blinked, estimations not quite meeting her expectations. "What?"

"Fang," Lightning repeated tentatively, "We both… rape her," Lightning closed eyes, strained, "Do you feel guilty about it?"

"Lightning," Odile squeezed her hand, "My concern is with you."

"Is that a no?" Lightning echoed back softly.

"That's a 'I'm more worried about my girlfriend than I am Fang.' Hey," Odile bumped her side with her knuckles until Lightning looked at her, a little pale. "Fang can take it, Light."

"We took it," Lightning reminded.

"Yes, we did," Odile breathed in frustration, "We took it from slobs and diseased sadists who had us begging for them to return to rape us again on the off-chance of getting pregnant. When you take that, there's no comparison to Fang living in this beautiful haven, having to fuck clean, gorgeous women only when it's demanded of her. No comparison at all, Light. You see how she is when we fuck her; she isn't biting her tongue so hard, it bleeds, so she doesn't scream out at the wrong time. She doesn't even mind. It's mechanical to her, like a job."

"It's rape." Lightning objected softly, a hint of disbelief in her voice. "You saw her scars. Those weren't signs of Umbra being easy on her."

"So, she had some accidents," Odile excused, writing that one off, "Do you know how strong Umbra are, Light? They could whip half this city around on their little finger; for the scars Fang has, they're nothing to what could've happened if the Umbra weren't controlling themselves when they're with her."

"And the one on her chest?" Lightning challenged, getting both more heated and panicked as Odile realistically pointed out the flaws. "Pretty sure a spearhead through the chest was no accident."

"You don't even know if she got it from them," Odile pointed out. "Pretty sure none of the Umbra are going to stab Fang through when they want her so bad."

"She did it herself."

"You don't know that," Odile snorted, "And even if it was, so she tried to kill herself, so what? We almost killed ourselves after we first got raped. It's just a reaction of desperation before you learn to live with it and appreciate the things you have."

"Just a reaction…" Lightning untangled her hand from Odile's and stood, seeming more stressed than before.

"Lightning, come on," Odile complained, standing too, wishing Lightning would settle down. "I'm not saying using Fang's not wrong on some sense, but she doesn't have it nearly so bad as you're making it sound in your head. So Fang has a dick and is told where to stick it; yeah, it sucks to be told who to sleep with, but it's nowhere as invasive as when they're shoving it down your holes."

"So, she's just supposed to get over it and keep pumping children for them all?"

"It'd probably be easier for her if she did." Lightning stared at her, mortified. Odile didn't like that at all. She went up to her girlfriend and took her wrist in a hand, the other moving to Lightning's cheek. "Look, Light. I had you in Cocoon, and it was enough to carry me through hell. Fang has Rhea here, and a lot more than we did with no expiration date whatsoever. I'm not saying you shouldn't feel bad, but your guilt over her is way out of hand."

"Why are you even doing this?" Lightning asked, eyes searching Odile's.

"Light," Odile squeezed her wrist, aggravated, "It wasn't my idea to rape Fang. I'd have been happy with just you."

"Wasn't your idea— " Lightning's eyes darkened so much. She pulled free from Odile's grasp. "I don't want to do it either, Odile!" Annd there she went. Odile sighed. "You don't think I like doing this to Fang, do you?"

"Clearly not."

"Then, what the hell are you saying?" Lightning gripped her by the arms. "You don't care about Fang, you don't care about the Yuns, why are you even doing this? This is why we're here!"

"You know what?" Odile snapped, "You're right, Light. I don't give a shit about the Yuns' situation, and we could drop Fang off a cliff for all it'd matter to me." Lightning smacked her a little too hard, control wavering in her horror-reflected astonishment. It made Odile mad, seeing her look like that. Wiping her cheek where she'd been struck, she glared at her girlfriend menacingly. "What I fucking care about is you," Odile snarled, "And I like you better here. _I _like it here, and I don't fucking want to go back. And yeah, I want to stay here with you where we _are _queens already."

Lightning stared at her like she were something foreign, low, and disturbing. "You sound like them."

"That's because I am them!" Odile's restraints blew out in the face of that look she was giving, "And so are you! And after all we went through to get here, no, I don't fucking feel like going back! Sorry for being fucking sane, Lightning!" Lightning still stared with that look. In angered desperation, Odile grabbed the front of her shirt and pulled her close to look her straight. "Look me in the face and tell me you haven't loved every fucking minute we've spent together here by ourselves."

Lightning looked at her like she was sick, with deep-laced revulsion in her eyes. "When the mission is done, I'm going back," Lightning grabbed her hand and pulled it free from her shirt. "With or without you."

Odile crumpled as the door shut behind her, arms reaching up over her head. Her heart withered, hot, angry, and hurt tears in her eyes, she despaired and wanted Lightning. Fingers curling at her sides, Odile resisted running to her mothers in pain.

**XXX**

Lightning woke from a troubled, restless sleep to the sight of Fang kneeling before her bed with heavy eyes. Lightning screamed and kicked, thoughts irrationally turning to Odile and what she might think of Fang in her bed. Fang startled back to her butt on the floor as Lightning sat bolt upright, panting as she took in her surroundings that looked nothing like her bedroom.

Because she wasn't there, Lightning was slow in registering. She had left the bedroom last night after that fight with Odile that'd brought her to the couch downstairs. And Fang wasn't naked or sleeping with her. She was just… there.

Lightning's heart took a long time in slowing. "Are you okay?" Fang asked kindly, pulling up from the floor before the sofa again.

"I'm fine," Lightning said, mind racing, though on second thoughts, she so very much wasn't. Odile…

"I was walking through," Fang explained, "Didn't expect to find anyone on the couch… are you sure you're all right, Lightning?" Fang double checked, dubious by her labored breathing and Lightning imagined, severely bedraggled look. Las night had been spent tossing and turning after her initial anger had died down. Odile was wrong to say those things about the Yuns, but Lightning had told her she'd leave without her if she had to. She would never leave without Odile; Gods, how she wished she hadn't said that in her shock. Lightning had to find Odile and… work this out with her. They had both said things they hadn't meant. She hoped. And Lightning had hit her! Gods. She had so much to apologize for and make up.

"Lightning?" Fang asked again when she didn't respond to her. "You look a little pale…" Fang frowned. "Paler. Do you feel sick?"

"I'm okay," Lightning dismissed, needing to get to Odile, but then Fang's face drew her, scars on her cheek from something sharper than nails, and Lightning remembered what Odile had been fighting over, and she felt sick.

Odile had rationalized the abuse of another human being, the raping of another woman, even.

And now Lightning wanted to weep, for what would she say upon seeing Odile again?

"Um," Fang looked a little doubtful, glancing at the couch, but she took her second assurance by word and didn't press, "I actually wanted to find you and say something… if you have a minute for it."

Lightning looked at Fang with a re-flushing of memories of last night with her. In her haste and worry over Odile, she'd completely forgotten how Fang had snapped at her, and now looked down with eyes full of apology, something Lightning picked out before she even said it. "You don't have to apologize to me, Fang."

"Yes, I do," Fang rejected that quietly, eyes still down from looking at her. "You're entitled to feel however you want about me, and I was wrong to snap at you for it. I'm sorry, Lightning."

With the way she was kneeling before the couch like that, head bowed, it pushed at Lightning's sensitive heart to see her so subservient again in apology like she was, playing her part as was expected of her. "I didn't mean to make it harder on you, Fang," Lightning echoed in remembering Fang's screaming words of last night. "I'm sorry for that."

"Please," Fang said like she was begging, "You don't have to be sorry for anything. I didn't mean to scare you last night. I'm really sorry, Lightning."

Lightning was too, even if Fang wouldn't hear it from her. Instead, Lightning tried to pull out a hint of Fang again. "It's okay, Fang… even if I don't see you on nightly raids again. I understand."

"You will," Fang said, lifting her head, and Lightning felt hopeful with it, for she didn't have to confirm that.

"I hope so," Lightning agreed with a tint of hope.

"And the soup…" Fang added as a last thing, seeming earnest. "Thanks."

Lightning smiled frailly; it'd been both her apology and her incapability to treat Fang as less than human, but Fang had seemed to accept it, and Lightning would make her own efforts to make Fang more comfortable when they were forced to share a bed, even if she couldn't outside of it; in bed, she could make changes.

"Fang," Jeanne appeared in the doorway, then halted, observing both of them from their spots. "Excuse me," Jeanne asked.

"You're okay," Lightning said, not wanting to give Odile's mom the wrong idea about being found this way.

Jeanne nodded once, but her eyes lingered on Lightning before they ticked over to Fang again. "Rhea will be in in a few minutes. "I thought she could stay with you today."

The bright spot in Fang from the news was obvious for everyone to see. "Thank you."

Jeanne gave a halfhearted smile and started to leave just as Odile showed up in the other doorway from the stairway. Lightning started to stand, but Odile just glanced at them in passing and narrowed her eyes. "Surprised you aren't fucking her again." Lightning opened her mouth, but didn't know what she'd say anyway as Odile carried on in passing.

"Lightning?" Fang asked uncertainly, wayward glance casting to the doorway Odile had been. When Lightning caught her eyes, she felt sicker yet, and quickly tore her own away from Fang's, who was the last person she could talk to when Odile was still angry.

"I have to go," Lightning practically staggered past Fang in her rush after Odile, who'd disappeared from the hallway. She checked down in the direction Odile had been going, but when she hit the kitchen doorway, she stopped and pulled back from the entrance abruptly. Odile stood in the kitchen, arms around Jeanne in hugging. Lightning closed her eyes, breathed in deep, and left for their room. Hopefully, after Jeanne, Odile would come up so they could talk through this and end it. Lightning missed her already and wouldn't last.

Retreating to their quiet room, Lightning waited for her girlfriend in unease.

**XXX**

"Jihl," Jeanne stroked her back so soothingly, "Let's talk, Sweetie."

"She's a nut," Odile complained as Jeanne shuffled into a seat, then effortlessly took Odile in her lap, which Odile rather liked, "And a bitch."

"What happened, Jihl?" Jeanne gently pressed, lifting a hand against Odile's back. Odile's jaw twitched as she stared at the floor, all kinds of swirling, negative feelings weighing down her chest, despite the comfy position against her mom. She just wanted to hug her mother again and shake Lightning silly until she snapped out of her stupid delusions and joined her in the beautiful world they now had.

But Odile had uttered it in a moment of weakness, and Jeanne already seemed to know of their fight. There was little use trying to hide it, and honestly, Odile didn't want to. Her mother cared enough to listen, and Odile wanted to tell her it, wholly, almost, but she'd be selective about it. "Lightning's being a dumbass," Odile muttered moodily, "I know you don't like the stuff with us and Fang, Mum, but that's what our fight was about."

"It's okay, Jihl." Jeanne eased without seeming as stressed as she'd first been when discussing Fang, "You can talk with me about anything; I'd like you to be able to speak to me over these things."

Odile cast her mother a small smile upwards, willing and wanting her mom to know that too. "Anyway, you know how Lightning wants a baby with Fang, Mum?" Jeanne nodded firstly, letting her speak some more, "So, Lightning and I have been sleeping with Fang, and out of nowhere, yesterday, she asks me how guilty I felt about it. I said I was more worried about her, and Lightning went off like a nut about how _I _don't feel guilty enough about sleeping with Fang. It wasn't even my idea! So, I told her that, and she went crazy that I care more about her than I do Fang, which I think I have a right to because she'smy bloody girlfriend, not Fang. But I guess that's wrong; I clearly lack empathy because I did what she wanted, and now she's having a hissy fit that I didn't do it right." Odile exhaled in frustrated. No, that wasn't _exactly _right, but it was as close to the truth of it as she'd give without mentioning Sage.

Jeanne took that in with a small, slow nod, then finally spoke softly. "It doesn't even sound like you want to get pregnant, Jihl."

"I want whatever makes her happy," considering pregnancy itself was something she could talk to Lightning about later when she was saner and not crazy after Sage. It wasn't like it was going to happen anytime soon anyway, and Odile had plans to bring Lightning out of her craziness well before then. "I don't care if I get pregnant, she's just being a nutcase about how I 'should feel' about it when I'm doing it all for her anyway."

"Well, she's just being unreasonable." Odile glanced up at her mother in surprise to see Jeanne smiling faintly, which made Odile smile too after her frustrated rambling. Jeanne's light kidding was well-placed.

"She's a nut, isn't she?" Odile said with her smile, eyes returning to the floor.

"It sounds like you love her immensely," Jeanne said, sobered this time, "And that Lightning's a little more timid than her conviction to have a baby stands about sleeping with Fang."

"She is," Odile confirmed that exact circumstance her mother had picked out so easily, "She feels so bad, and I hate seeing it eat her up when it's not even something we have to do. But she's got it all stuck in her messed up head that we do." Odile sighed in aggravation. What was she going to do with Lightning? They'd been here almost two weeks and she still had fucked up head issues, despite everything Odile had done to make their stay a paradise. And Lightning… Lightning would leave her if she got pregnant before she was fixed. Odile's stomach twisted, shallow and hurting from her confirmed fears of it. She'd never let it happen, of course. If Lightning went back, she'd go too, but Odile desperately wanted them to stay.

Jeanne ran a hand through her hair, stroking down through the strands that cascaded down Odile's back. It tickled a little and Odile's hair twitched at the edges, quite content with the soothing care. "Lightning's insistence to have a baby sounds even against her own will."

Oops. Had Odile said too much? She had to patch work some of that. "It's because of Cocoon society," Odile said, not exactly lying, just omitting some things. "She's having a harder time adapt out of their mindset. She misses 'dad' a lot and she's stuck thinking that we have to do these things that we don't. I know she'll come out of it eventually, Mum, but it's so frustrating to wait and watch her tripping over her guilt about it. Especially when she takes it out on me!"

"You should have a baby knowing it's something you both want," Jeanne shared sadly, hand moving around to squeeze Odile's arm as she cradled her warmly in her lap. "It's a big decision, and not something you should just do off the whim of availability."

"I know that's why you wanted us to wait, Mum." Odile confessed with a lowered head. "I'm sorry the council voted in Lightning's favor about it."

Jeanne didn't reprimand her like Odile thought she might, she just kissed the top of Odile's head, which made Odile's toes curl a little bit, being held and loved like this from a parent. "Why don't you let me talk to her, Jihl."

Odile glanced up, uneasy. Her mom had been amazing for her, and Odile loved her very much already. Lightning had slightly different opinions. "You think it'll help, Mum?"

"Might be good for you." Jeanne confessed, "You're both still a little angry and hurt. We say a lot of the wrong things when we feel that way." Odile lowered her head again, remembering her jibe to Lightning and Fang. Her mother was right; she'd probably say something like that again. Lightning was just being so stupid right now. And she had hit her! Stupid bitch.

"Okay, Mum," Odile agreed, not really wanting to leave the spot on her lap yet. "She's probably upstairs in our room, changing. She exiled herself to the couch yesterday."

"I saw," Jeanne told, still rocking her in her lap.

Odile felt a little sheepish at how that sounded and came out. It was nearing time to leave her mother's lap, though Odile sparsely wanted to for how good it felt. So instead, she lifted up her arms and wrapped them around her mother's neck. "Thanks, Mum," Odile savored her mother's touch as arms wrapped around her back.

"I love you, Jihl."

Odile's heart warmed over again. "I know. I love you too, Mum."

Jeanne pulled back with the warmest smile and a motherly glint in gray eyes. Sated with her dose of motherly warmth, Odile started pulling off her lap, then turned around real quick when something else occurred to her. "And Mum?"

"Yes, Jihl?"

"I've forgotten to say this without a chance to yet, but you know those burnt marks on our backs where we were branded?" Jeanne's loving eyes darkened a bit. "I want you to take mine off, and Lightning's, when she's ready. The only reason I went along with it before is because it'd freak Lightning out if I had mine removed before she came around."

Her eyes softened, and that small, sad smile picked at the edges of her lips. "When Lightning's ready then." And Odile nodded in agreement.


	22. Chapter 22

Lightning twitched nervously, anxious and unsettled, unable to keep still. She practically jumped out of her skin when she heard the first creak of the door pushed in. "Odile!" Lightning yelped, panicking because she still didn't know everything she'd say to her.

"It's me," A different voice said, half sliding in from the creak in the door.

"Oh, Jeanne," Lightning withdrew her anxious self back again, heart plummeting into her feet. "Um, Odile's not here." She picked at her necklace nervously and sat back to the bed so she wouldn't look so flustered as she was.

"I didn't come to talk to Jihl," Jeanne said, surprising Lightning that she was still in the doorway. Lightning looked at her with startled eyes, unease crawling through her belly. "May I come in?"

"You can…" Lightning said, sickness growing in her stomach. Had Odile said something to Jeanne? A sudden spike of fear went through Lightning. What if, in her anger, Odile had mentioned Sage to her? What would the Umbra do to a traitor amongst them? Lightning still hadn't met her mother, despite Jeanne's assurances that they were trying to find her. It occurred to Lightning her mother might not even be around to be found, a first thought on that spectrum that chilled Lightning to the bone. Who knew what the Umbra were capable of doing to her if they found out?

Jeanne came in peaceably enough, but Lightning was not eased. Anyone could be deceptively calm, especially the Umbra leader who led all her people into raping the Yuns. Even simply fighting with Odile could be enough of a reason for them; Lightning wasn't Jeanne's daughter, and her mother was nowhere to be found. Jeanne could kill her if she wanted, and it could be the least of things she could do if punishment was why she came.

Lightning had been under the household protection when she'd been with Odile, but after their fight, after _striking_her daughter, who knew what Jeanne would do?

"I'm sorry," Lightning blurted, unable to take the calm manner Jeanne held in such poise while she quaked inside. "I didn't mean to hit her; I was shocked, and it just happened, and I haven't stopped thinking about it since and I feel horrible and she was just trying to say she loved me and she— " Lightning's voice hitched on something horrible in her throat that swallowed her words and produced only a breathy gasping between chokes.

"I'm sorry," Lightning whimpered, tears stinging her eyes and burning, "I'm— so sorry," Lightning choked on the apology, underserving of it. "I hit her," Lightning whimpered so brokenly, tears starting to stream. "I hit her again like— like one of the men." Lightning keeled over, arms over her stomach, sickly and shaking, trembling over herself. "I'm as bad as them." Lightning wept, repeating it again as she shook. She raped Fang, hit Odile; she was just like them. "No," Lightning mumbled, whimpered, so overcome with herself. "Please…" in the most horrible twist of ways, Lightning was becoming them, and it made her sicker than she'd ever been.

"Lightning," Lightning became vaguely aware of something braced across her chest, holding her back as another hand kept her hair from her face. Her sickened stomach lay puddled on the floor in vomit, but something suspended her back from falling into it. "I've got you, Lightning." Jeanne echoed quietly, and when she'd reclined her back a little bit, Jeanne moved her hand from holding Lightning's hair and scooped her into her arms. She carried Lightning away from the vile mess like a baby into the bathroom and placed her by the toilet, reclining Lightning against the wall. She combed her hair back from her face in case Lightning got sick again, and disappeared only a few seconds while the sink ran.

Jeanne returned to her side with a cup and knelt beside Lightning. She pushed it into her limp fingers and guided it up for Lightning. "Wash it out with this," Jeanne said gently, like she was a little kid. Lightning took a little sip,and lowered her eyes as Jeanne brushed her hair back from her face. "You okay, Lightning?"

Lightning still felt queasy. Horrified with the notion of being anything close to men, her stomach rumbled threateningly. She couldn't meet Jeanne's eye and didn't deserve the kindness she'd given in Lightning's internal sickness. "You don't have to help me," Lightning said meekly, preferring if she didn't.

"Lightning, we love you." Lightning lifted reddened eyes to look at Jeanne with the words, "Me, Cereza, and Jihl all care about you. Making a mistake isn't going to change that." Lightning's stomach felt twisted still. She'd made a lot of mistakes; behaving like one of the oppressors wasn't something she could forgive, even if it had purpose. And now that behavior had moved onto Odile, Lightning just wanted to give it all up and repent. "You're not a monster, Lightning."

Lightning looked up at her with injured eyes, and Jeanne went on to where she'd gathered that. "Jihl talked to me about your fight; she told me about Fang."

Lightning's heart quivered so bad, but it wasn't something she could give up just like. Everything she'd done to Fang would be for naught if she did, and then she'd be the real monster, giving in to the comforts of this place over doing what would be ultimately right for Fang and all the Yuns. So, she just said, "I want a baby," even though it was so much more than that.

"I know, Lightning," Jeanne claimed, "I know how badly you want a child. And I know Fang would seem the best possible route to go about getting one… but this is killing you, and I think you know that." Reddened eyes took in Jeanne seeming to see straight through her, and Lightning broke the gaze, afraid of the possibility of it. Jeanne slid in to sit beside her. "Of what I've learned from Cocoon, I know it might be the only thing that'll make you feel right. And that's okay, Lightning. Pregnancy could be that piece you're missing that you need to feel whole. Umbra know the heartbreak of failed pregnancy more than anyone," Lightning looked up at her again, trying to read her from that, but Jeanne went on too fast. "I know you might need it, Lightning. But this… torturing yourself when you're guilty over Fang. You don't need to do that, and you don't deserve it."

Lightning swallowed hard. Jeanne didn't know, and couldn't, why she needed Fang, but her estimations were so close in another sense, they stung Lightning. "It can't be someone else," Lightning said, and didn't know why she'd shared that. Jeanne only gave a sad nod of understanding.

"I understand that, Lightning. I do," And it sounded so much like she did, Lightning had to look at her, and found something so strikingly similar in the pain in Jeanne's eyes. "I know how you feel," Lightning could tell it was truth. Her pain reflected back through Jeanne's gaze at her. What did that even mean concerning Jeanne's perspective on it? "I just hope you don't destroy a bit of yourself through this circumstance with Fang. Guilt carries, Lightning. It won't go away when she's pregnant or born to share with Jihl. You carry it with you as they age, and there's no way to comfort that when it's done."

Lightning bit her lip hard, staring at the toilet a few feet away with a sinking feeling. Jeanne spoke from experience, it was obvious with Rhea. Would it be like that for her too? Considering Sage wouldn't be able to save Fang in her lifetime, Lightning reckoned it would, and it weighed down her spirit so heavily. Her baby born in guilt would stay that way through all her life.

"If you can," Jeanne said gently, "There are other Yuns, willing Yuns. It might take longer, which I know is part of the reason, but if you can break from it, Lightning…"

"Why do you?" Lightning suddenly blurted in all curiosity and probably a hint of accusing if she was being honest with herself. Jeanne didn't need to ask her for clarification, and didn't look her way when she said it.

"We do what we have to sometimes," Jeanne said softly, guilty and pained in a way Lightning knew so bad. Jeanne didn't want to either, but felt she had to with Fang? It struck Lightning's heart so deep and similar; Jeanne shared her fate, in a different way of things. She had her reasons too, which Lightning didn't like as much, but the Umbra had to be desperate for children who would not age to replenish their withered number, and for a second, Lightning felt so deeply attached to that same fate for other reasons, she wanted to hug Jeanne. But she resisted.

Much as she shared an other-worldly similarity with the woman she was supposed to hate, Lightning couldn't give in to those urges to understand her enemy. Jeanne might share her repulsion for sleeping with Fang, but with the Umbra's reasons, Fang would forever be a slave to their kind whenever they wanted or needed another baby. The cycle would never end, a constant demand served endlessly, and Fang would always be a slave. No, no matter how they were both hurting to do it, Umbra like Roma and all the others who'd voted Lightning's way would exist and demand of Fang to be shared between.

Lightning couldn't let that happen. Jeanne was right. She did what she had to to Fang.

**XXX**

Lightning found Odile on the balcony ledge overlooking the cliff where Jeanne had said she'd gone to relax. Sweet sucker sticking out of her mouth, she stared out over the grassland below and didn't turn around when Lightning stepped onto the sweeping balcony-like slab of stone that'd been built coming off of the side of the cliff. When she got close enough to stand behind her, she stayed there. Odile ignored her a long, full minute.

"Odile…" she didn't jump, as Lightning suspected, she already knew she was there, but it didn't ease Lightning's racing, sickened heart any.

"You talk to Mum?"

"Yes," Lightning breathed on the exhale. "She came to the bedroom. We had a chat…" Odile quietly suckled her candy sucker. Lightning took in a deep breath to settle her ever-increasing nerves. "Odile, I feel terrible— "

"You should."

Lightning's heart quaked. "I'm sorry." She begged, wanting to touch her, but was afraid she'd startle her too much. "I'm so sorry. I'm horrified I hurt you, and I can't make that up… " Lightning's voice died down, quiet. She didn't know what she could say. Nothing made a strike better; it should never have happened. "I love you," the whimper barely sounded, escaping her lips.

"Oh, that's che— " Odile cut off as she turned on the rail and took Lightning in, "Wow," she corrected instead, tossing the little toothpick of her sucker over her shoulder. "You look like shit."

"I didn't sleep much," Lightning said quietly, reckoning that was true. She'd come straight from Jeanne, and kept her eyes lowered to the ground, unable to full take her in. "Odile… I'm sorry," Lightning repeated again, bringing it back to the topic at hand.

Odile sighed, breathy and long, "Well, sit down then. I don't want you passing out while you're pleading for my forgiveness." Lightning sat down beside her, but couldn't smile or feel any better by the half-joke of Odile's. Her stomach churned with heavy guilt. "Hey," Odile said, brushing back a few strands of her hair so she could see her face. "Stop looking like that."

Lightning glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, so sick at heart. "I never meant to hurt you."

"I know that," Odile took Lightning's hand. Her fingers felt so warm in Lightning's, such a comforting hold against the night she'd spent alone without her. That had been the real hell; Lightning didn't want to do it again. "Hey, Lightning. I love you too, you know."

Lightning closed her eyes as the words rushed over her, Odile's warmth seeping back in. "I missed you."

"Sleeping alone wasn't fun for me either," Odile agreed with her, scooting in next to Lightning. She rested a little against her. "Not something I want to get used to."

"Odile…" Lightning kept her eyes down, chest tight and heavy. She continued meekly, so timid of even approaching the topic, "Did you mean… about staying here?" Lightning looked at her with eyes of pain. "…Would you really stay?"

Odile sighed again, holding her in. "I go where you go." She squeezed her side tightly. "I'd never stay behind and leave you." Lightning tried to be eased, but her heart still quivered uneasily. "What I said about Fang… it was just something to say. In the heat of the moment, I was angry." Odile released another puff of air, long and drawn this one, "But I meant what I said about you. You'll always be my first concern, Lightning."

Lightning's murmur of doubt didn't go away. It was the second time she and Odile had fought like this, and the second time Odile had seemed happier this way. Lightning didn't know how with all the guilt weighing her down, how Odile managed to see through that and wholeheartedly love this place, but the thought that she'd be alone in this was too chilling and scary. Lightning wanted to believe Odile would follow her to the very end and do what was right for the greatest number of people, but her faith had been shaken so bad with Odile's exclamations. She was scared, terrified, and didn't want Odile to leave her. "You promise?" Lightning asked weakly, "Promise you'll stay with me?"

"Yeah," Odile breathed, exhaling. "I'll always follow you, Lightning. Always."

It might not be for the right reasons, but Lightning selfishly gave in to that promise without fighting this time. She couldn't lose Odile like this too. She couldn't.

**XXX**

They carried on tentatively through the day, and Lightning didn't mention the issue with Fang again. Odile had forgiven her, but forgetting proved something harder for Lightning. After walking Lightning back to the house, Odile deemed that she still looked sickly and should eat something, so they made a meal between them. Lightning stiffened when Fang came in, but if Odile was bothered, she didn't show it very much and easily got along with little Rhea in baking, where she showed her little sister how to cook some savory meats over the fire.

"Mmm!" Rhea claimed after tasting them, "Do you cook like this for your lady-friend all the time, Jihl? She's lucky!"

"Isn't she?" Odile chuckled and kissed the little one's head. "Nah, Rhea, I'm the lucky one. Just look at her." She cast a smile her way meant just for Lightning, which eased her nerves a little, but she didn't completely settle, even as Odile took her back to their room.

"Baby," Odile purred, coming up behind her to wrap an arm around Lightning's waist as she bent her head to kiss Lightning's cheek, "I don't like you feeling guilty," she turned Lightning in her arms so Lightning could look into her pretty green eyes. "Let's get past this. Okay?" she brushed her spikey hair that jutted at the front. "You're beautiful, Lightning."

Lightning melted to the touch of her mouth, such blissful, underserving flutters in her belly as she gazed into eyes that swallowed her heart in an instant. "I love you."

Odile smiled so warmly, it was like nothing had happened at all.


	23. Chapter 23

**XXX**

Lightning spent the next day solely with Odile; departing from Fang and her mothers early, Odile and Lightning ventured to the falls together and made the site their own, healing together with much-needed time apart from the others. It was getting dark by the time they started back for the house, and, both hungry, they found Fang alone in the kitchen, preparing a sizable dinner for herself.

"Oh," Clearly not having expected them back by then, Fang nodded in greeting to both of them. "I'll get more meats."

Lightning let her go to fetch some, and squeezed Odile's hand. She probably expected to use Fang after dinner, but Lightning didn't want to spoil their day. "Not tonight, okay?"

Odile kissed the top of her head.

Lightning warmed only Odile that night.

Later in the night, after she woke to a rumbling stomach again, Lightning frowned at her belly in pouting, not wanting to leave the warmth of Odile's hugging spoon. Odile soothed fingers over her aching, noisy stomach sweetly. "Bring back something tasty, Sweetie."

"I'll hurry back," Lightning promised, making sure to tug up the covers for her so Odile wouldn't get cold. Scurrying off downstairs again, Lightning hurried until she hit the kitchen where Fang sat with sliced bread and cheese. "Fang," Lightning said, the sight of her catching Lightning off guard. In everything with Odile about the recent fight and make up, it'd completely passed her mind that the Yun would be down here again.

"Lightning," Fang greeted gently. "Didn't expect you tonight,"

Lightning remembered yesterday when she'd asked Fang if she'd still come, then how she'd slept with Odile all last night in their healing. "I'm sorry," Lightning apologized quickly, realizing the error and what Fang might've assumed from it. "I slept in last night. I would've come if I hadn't."

"Don't worry about it," Fang passed off as she usually did on the receiving end of an apology. "Would you like some?" She asked Lightning, offering up her snack freely. Lightning took only a little, not wanting to steal much from Fang's snack. She'd find a little more in the cellar shortly. "Lightning…" Fang asked softly, incredibly speculative in her good heart. "Are you okay?" Lightning must've appeared startled because Fang quickly followed it up with, "Unless it's not my business; I don't mean to pry if you don't want to talk about it."

Lightning's guilty heart mashed a little at Fang's kind reserve in asking that of her. "Fang… it's okay. It's… sweet of you to notice."

Fang kept her head down as she quietly spoke again, "You and Jihl are okay?"

Lightning didn't ask how she knew; Fang had heard the side comment flung by Odile, and she knew how they behaved around her. She'd just connected two and two together. "Yeah… we're okay." Lightning bit her lip, wondering if she should press when Fang had just been sweet again. She didn't want to push on touchy buttons with Fang, but the woman's kindness was pressing on her guilt again. Lightning couldn't give up sleeping with her yet, and she'd hate it if Fang expected that after her fight with Odile over it. "Fang… I know what it's like," Lightning finally confessed. "It's why… why I can't treat you the way you want."

"It's not the same. Raping a girl like you is different." Fang looked up at her with honest eyes. "I'm sorry you had to go through it, Lightning. I really am." Lightning lowered her head in shame, unable to even say anything when she did the same thing to Fang. "You know," Fang confessed calmly, "It's not this part I hate. Talking with you is fine."

Lightning stared in surprise, "It's the sex that becomes terrible when you try to be my friend. We both start feeling guilty, and then the sex is horribly awkward." Fang stated, pretty matter-of-factly. "I have no idea why you're putting yourself in the position when it's clear you feel so guilty about it, but that's the part I hate. I don't want doing you to be like doing Jeanne; and it's why Jihl makes it easier for both of us."

Lightning chewed the end of her tongue. She'd never even considered that. "I can see that you're still going to." Fang pointed out bluntly, "I'd ask you to feel less guilty about it, if I were to ask you for anything, but I know what it's like to rape someone, so that probably won't happen."

Lightning blanched at the sudden, casual revelation. "You've…"

"Raped girls?" Fang almost challenged with an eyebrow. "Yeah, I have. Just like your filthy men of Cocoon."

It was so startling and sudden, Lightning barely wrapped her mind around it. She choked in trying to process it. "But…"

"I'm not just a victim, Lightning. What you do to me is a pittance in comparison to what I've done to other women. Unwilling women who I've gotten pregnant." Lightning stared at her in shock-reflected horror. "Not so golden a victim, am I?"

With startling certainty, Lightning realized exactly what she was doing, telling her all of these things. "You're trying to ease my guilt!"

Fang shrugged, "Doesn't mean it isn't the truth. I still raped those girls."

Lightning didn't know what to think, but her conscious mind rejected it. "You're lying."

Fang laughed humorlessly. "Ask Jeanne. She'll tell you the same thing." Fang took another slice of bread and laid it with a slice of cheese. "I'm as bad as any of those men who touched you, Lightning."

Lightning's head spun; she buried it in her hands and tried to think and sort this out cohesively, but everything rushed like an overcoming wave, crushing her. Was Fang not a victim? But the Umbra— she didn't willingly sleep with them, and Gods, that explained the Yuns fear of Ragnarok perfectly. The Umbra controlled Ragnarok, and … for some reason, they kept Yuns in line by sending them to Fang. Because Fang wanted it? Gods, that couldn't be right. "Your… your own people?"

"Is that any different than what men did to you?" Fang posed after a few seconds. Lightning finally looked again, and swallowed a lump that'd formed in her throat. Fang wasn't sneering; she just made the comparison like that, and it throbbed in Lightning.

"I've seen you with Rhea," Lightning protested weakly. "You're not that cold."

Fang snorted. "Lightning, I'm fucked up," she cast a nod in her direction, "You are a bit too. It happens to a person when they go through the shit you and I have. We all have different ways of dealing, and I'm just saying, you don't need to feel so damn bad about it. Shit happens, and if you need me to make you feel better about it or cure you with a baby or whatever you want me for, use me, get your head on straight if you can, and feel better. And hopefully Jihl will help you through that, end of story."

Lightning cradled her aching head, almost short of breath with taking in all of this. She'd watched Fang for almost two full weeks now, raped her almost all that time. Fang hadn't shown the kind of malice to be even capable of what she claimed. "That can't be it," Lightning mumbled, unwilling to accept it. Fang wasn't like the men. She couldn't be.

"It is," Fang claimed bluntly. "You're wasting your guilt, Lightning. I'm damn lucky with Jeanne. Look where I live; I get all of Paradiso, I get all the food a Yun could want, I get to see and hang out with Rhea, I'm not chained up anywhere. I make off in free living. Pretty comfortable for a rapist, wouldn't you say?"

It didn't make any sense. "You don't even enjoy sex."

"Go to bed, Lightning," Fang started to stand, "I'll be there tomorrow for you and Jihl."

"Fang," Lightning asked as Fang turned her back on her. Lightning asked before she could go. "Did you really enjoy raping those girls?"

Fang proceeded to walk away. "Good night, Lightning."

**XXX**

Fang grew colder as the days carried on, or maybe Lightning was imagining it, as she mostly stayed in the same, politely respectful subservient state except for the times Lightning poked too much. It didn't make sense to her; even seeing this cold side of Fang, being a rapist made no sense. Fang didn't enjoy sex with the Umbra and seemed content for Rhea to never learn of her nature. With it not being for pleasure, and the reason of children seeming unlikely, Lightning couldn't figure out why Fang would rape other Yuns. And Fang remained as elusive and cold as ever when she poked.

Surprisingly, Fang was right about the sex, which abhorred Lightning to no extent. With the picture Fang had painted of herself as a rapist, their sex became less stressful and strained. Lightning still felt bad, but the guilt was eased every time she thought of Fang forcing herself on another, even when she didn't know the full facts of it. Fang had known where her sympathies would fall short and had used that to her fullest advantage in cleaning up Lightning's guilt. It mortified Lightning to think her so clever as to manipulate, and it made raping her just a little easier with the doubts.

Odile displayed no such similar problems as Lightning had with dealing, but rather had kissed Lightning and told her Fang's story fit, and to feel better about it. Lightning increasingly felt more alone in her pain, unable to even contact Sage for the chance that Fang would 'hear' it, and she struggled evermore as Odile grew more and more attached to this place. She had promised Lightning, but Lightning could see that slipping in the love of her parents, being treated, and having free reign. Every day spent only made her more attached, and even Lightning started to feel pangs of doubt.

Jeanne and Cereza were good mothers and treated them both like they'd been heaven-sent. The comforts aside, with Fang's 'plight' dwindling, Lightning had only to hold onto the Yuns for her conviction, for even the Umbra had started to weasel into her spirit. They were wrong to rape Fang and keep the Yuns and all of Gran Pulse in a state of intimidation, but Lightning had seen no real persecution of the Yuns, aside from their tension concerning Ragnarok, which she couldn't figure out for anything. In addition,Lightning realized taking out the Umbra would include taking out Odile's moms, which was growing more inconceivable with each passing day. Lightning didn't see the other Umbras much, with the exception of Thalia and Ariadne, which Odile insisted on visiting every now and again, but from the council meetings she'd attended and what she was gathering, Jeanne held this place together by a meager thread. Tension streamed like a river between these Umbra, and increasing doubt continuously ebbed at her conviction. Lightning lost a little more each day.

**XXX**

Lightning cut through the leafy greens with a knife, chopping them to small bits for a mixed vegetable and cheese salad. The carrots came next, followed by some spinach leaves and a drizzle of pepper overtop.

"Something looks good," Jeanne said from behind her. Lightning glanced back in surprise as Jeanne and little Rhea appeared in the kitchen. She hadn't even heard them enter, she'd been so blanked out of mind. "Making a salad, Lightning?"

"It's for Jihl," Lightning explained the unusual taste, not exactly her cup of tea.

"Salad, eww," Rhea made a face that had Jeanne sighing.

"Rhea's always had a bigger appetite." Jeanne offered

"Fang's right," Rhea claimed, "Leaves and greens are for chocobos, not people. Yuck! I'm gonna find somethings in the cellar for our soup, Mummy."

"Okay, Rhea," Jeanne nodded, "I'll get out the spices you like to put in."

Lightning watched the little one happily tromp down the stairs to Jeanne's food stores, completely oblivious to her Yun heritage that gave her that appetite. She glanced down at her own stomach, passing a slightly queasy feeling off that she'd always had an appetite too. Men shared the same lust for hunger too, Lightning knew. And Sage wouldn't have lied to her.

"Lightning," Jeanne mentioned in reaching up for spices for the soup, "You look troubled. Is everything okay?"

What _would _little Rhea do without her mothers when she and Jihl returned to Sage with Ragnarok's babies? What would any of the daughters do when Sage, with her help, would take out all the Umbra for their crimes against Fang and alleged crimes against the Yuns? The mothers were wrong, but their children were innocent, and Lightning couldn't even be sure all the Umbra were guilty in the fullest extent. Not to mention Jeanne and Cereza, Odile's mothers whom she'd grown attached to very deeply, and even Lightning had unstiffened for. They were good people, aside from the rape they didn't even seem willing to do, and it made Lightning wonder: if the clan Elder herself couldn't stop what was happening to Fang, who was really pulling the strings? The other Umbra, like Roma? But of the only other two Lightning had met personally, Ariadne and Thalia, neither seemed proactive about the raping of Fang.

Lightning doubted Sage would spare them. They'd all participated in the corruption and raping, and Sage hadn't spent the time invested Lightning had in their dealings.

If only Lightning could contact him to explain everything, she'd be able to tell by his responding if Sage would take mercy on the unwilling Umbra in this, or if she'd… have to think of something for Jeanne and Cereza in all this.

"Just a little stressed with Jihl's birthday upcoming," Lightning passed off. Though, that was another thing. She'd been spending time training with Cereza and Jeanne, but the other decision she'd come to concerning Jihl's birthday nagged at her. She didn't want to seem too attached to this place with the idea of it, but at the same time, Jihl loved her parents. They'd been happy with the idea of it when Lightning had shared her thoughts, and really… Lightning's intentions to do anything to hurt Cereza or Jeanne had dwindled beyond recovery. It was more finding a way to keep them safe from everything that had her bothered so badly, and something she might've been able to figure out with Sage if she could reach out to him. But she couldn't, and it had Lightning stressed because he wouldn't know there were still good people among the Umbra. And considering the clan had all but slaughtered his every brother, he might not care to spare any of them…

It all weighed on Lightning.

"She's going to like them, Lightning." Jeanne offered in that motherly fashion, touching high on Lightning's arm gently. She brushed her fingers through the edge of Lightning's hair. "I think it'll mean a lot to Jihl, everything you've thought of for her."

"I know," Lightning agreed, that being exactly what scared her about it. She and Odile, they still had a job to do, but this place and how happy Odile seemed with her mothers… Lightning didn't want to take that away, not in the least. There had to be a way she could complete this mission and make everybody happy, sparing the Umbra who'd been unwilling and erasing all the corruption otherwise… but Lightning was being unrealistic, and she knew it. Everybody wouldn't make out with the turn of things, and she had to face it.

Not for the first time, Lightning inwardly debated and squished the idea of telling Jeanne about Sage. She hated it, but the Umbra hated Sages as much as much as Sage hated them. Telling Jeanne could go any number of wrong ways, and Lightning definitely didn't want Sage hurt off a judgment she'd made. Jeanne was a good person, but anyone could guess she'd react poorly at the revelation of the existence of a Sage. So Lightning bit her tongue and didn't speak of it.

"Lightning," Jeanne rubbed down her shoulder once like a caring, maternal figure. "If there's anything you want to talk about… Cereza and I, we're always here for you."

Lightning offered Jeanne a partial, strained smile and actually meant it when she said, "I appreciate it, Jeanne." She couldn't talk to her now about this, but Jeanne was always a good listener otherwise. Lightning might yet later mention other things… like her mother and talk it out with Jeanne.

Rhea's footsteps clunked up the stairs. Not now, only.

"I just have a headache," Lightning didn't really lie about it, "I'm going to take this up to Odile."

"Okay," Jeanne nodded gently, dropping her arm from Lightning. "We'll see you at dinner, Lightning."

Lightning returned to find Odile sitting by the fire waiting. She smiled at Lightning and gladly took the bowl from her when Lightning came beside her. "Thanks," Jihl accepted, then filled in, "Fang came by a little bit ago. I told her to come back in a half hour for sex. She'll be back any minute now."

"Okay," Lightning said, sitting on the bed facing the fire a little behind Odile, who checked back to see her starting to strip with a glance.

"You okay?"

"Yes," Lightning confirmed, pulling off her clothes to get ready for it. "Just thinking."

"Doing some pretty hard thinking by the looks of it," Odile commented, standing. "Don't hurt yourself there." Lightning smiled at the jibe warmly and patted the bed beside her for Odile to come and sit. "Anything you want to share?"

"Nothing groundbreaking," Lightning shook her head. "You feel well enough for Fang, Odile? I know you had a headache."

"Nah, I'm okay." Odile dismissed, "This salad really hit the spot. Thank you for it." Lightning smiled again briefly until Fang showed up at the door a few minutes later. Odile put down the last bits of her salad and stripped too.

"How would you like me?" Fang asked, ever polite.

"Nothing fancy," Odile shrugged, "Missionary please."

"I'll go first." Lightning volunteered and curled on the bed with Odile, who kissed her cheek. Fang nodded and climbed over them in the bed. Lightning wondered if this was a position she'd raped other girls in, then tried to wipe the thoughts from her mind.

"Ready?" Fang asked simply, and Lightning okayed her to proceed. As usual, Lightning's walls gaped, stretched, and started to weep as Fang pushed into her in entry. She wrapped an arm around Odile's neck and kissed her girlfriend passionately as Fang pumped her into overdrive again and again. Lightning gushed uncontrollably, so filled by Fang and her hot, slippery seed, seeping into her to find a way to impregnate her with Fang. Lightning gasped, panting, sweat pouring back into her hair with the orgasmic arch of her body as Fang melted her from within.

"That's enough," Odile eventually ordered when Lightning could barely breathe. "Get her water."

Lightning tucked in her dizzying head to Odile's neck and panted for air to take in. Odile took the cup from Fang and held it steady for Lightning, who chugged it thirstily. Odile took away the cup when it was empty and Lightning looked at Fang, who sat on her side on the other side of Jihl and watched Lightning uninterestedly. It chilled Lightning, rather than the way it would've played before on her sympathies. Is that how she looked at the Yuns she raped too? Lightning didn't say anything, and Fang eventually picked up again to Odile's bidding.

Fang proceeded to rinse and repeat on Odile. Much as Lightning always tried to give Odile the most attention during this so it wasn't like she was purely fucking Fang, Lightning kept glancing back at Fang as she fucked Odile, and it wasn't a pleasant feeling. Lightning gave Odile extra attention to make up for it. Odile waved her off after three, unusually short-lived for her, but Lightning was glad for it.

"You can go," she told Fang with a bit of haste, these sexing sessions getting far less comfortable, and not in the way of guilting. Fang dressed again and left without saying anything, and Lightning cared for Odile, who was panting as much as she'd been.

"You still felt sick, didn't you?" Lightning accused gently.

"Water, kiss, and cuddles," Jihl breathed.

Lightning took care of her for the rest of the day and brought dinner up to their bedroom, which Jihl ate pretty well and actually felt a little better afterwards. "You don't eat enough with these salads and suckers."

Jihl scoffed. "I've been eating more since we've gotten here."

"Not enough," Lightning insisted. "I'm bringing you up more the next time I get hungry."

"You're always hungry." Jihl grumbled. "Just cuddle with me."

Lightning did so and kissed her cheek. When she next opened her eyes, moonlight shone through the balcony doorway and Lightning's stomach grumbled harshly. "Time to get you food," Lightning told her sleeping beauty, extracting from Jihl's back for a midnight run through the cellar.

Fang sat there when she reached the kitchen, as she usually did, and Lightning stared at her back uneasily before stepping in. Fang would've heard her anyway and knew she was there already. She was there every night Lightning came down for this. "Evening," Fang greeted as she came into the room, then pushed some fire-grilled behemoth her way. "Don't worry, I didn't over-salt your portion."

"Why do you do that, Fang?" Lightning asked suddenly, accusingly even as she glanced from the plate to the woman. "Why do you always grab something for me too?"

Fang shrugged. "You grab me food on the nights you come down first."

"Not really the considerate actions you'd expect from a rapist."

"I could say the same." Fang said in glancing, in a way of casual conversation.

"I'm going to find out, Fang." Lightning replied in her conviction to find the truth of it, ignoring Fang's jibe to stir her anger or shut her up. "I know you don't have it in you."

"Your bedside manner speaks differently." Fang pointed out chillingly. "You know I've done it when I bed you. I can see it in your face, Lightning. I'm revolting to you."

Lightning couldn't deny it. Sharing Fang's bed, she increasingly saw someone cold enough to do just that. But outside of here, here, with Fang, Lightning's fear didn't affect her, and she could see it more clearly. So, she simply said. "I'll find the truth, Fang." And took the plate.

Fang shook her head as she walked away.


	24. Chapter 24

Jihl strolled into the kitchen the next day, rubbing her sore breasts where Lightning had just inflicted massive welting from her suckling tongue and fingers. Damn, that girl was good at sucking; Jihl felt positively raw after that boob job. Either her growing Umbra strength had started to affect her mouth, or Jihl had become more sensitive to those lips; either proved a dangerous circumstance, and one Lightning would have to squirm for later. Right after Jihl found a sucker, that was.

Rummaging through the shelves for the sweet treat, Jihl found only jelly cans and spices in the cupboards. Where were those damn things?

Someone's delicate, heeled step clicked into the room behind her. "Mum," Jihl asked moodily. "Where'd all our suckers go?"

"We're out for the time being," Cereza answered with a little sigh, "I think Rhea found the stash."

"Little brat," Jihl said without malice as she turned to face her mother, who seemed a little run-down. "Mum?" Jihl asked with growing concern as she took her mother's tired pallor in. "What's wrong, Mum? Is everything okay?"

"I'd like to speak to you, Jihl." Cereza said in that tone that meant trouble. What had she done? Jihl didn't remember any frequent misbehavior of late. Well, there was the staircase and the that whole ordeal with accidentally cracking through the living room wall when playing with Rhea, but Mums hadn't seemed mad about that. What else could she have done? Hmm. "In the bedroom." The bedrooms being the fully soundproof-locked rooms, Cereza didn't want to be overheard. Jihl frowned and followed to her mothers' room.

Cereza had her sit on the bed. Jihl gazed up at her mother nervously. "Mum?"

"You're not in trouble, Jihl." Cereza said, sitting next to her on the bed. "I'd just like to talk to you about something."

"What is it?" Jihl asked, easily reading something bothering her mother. "What's wrong?"

"Jeanne and I…" Cereza sighed fully, "We've kept something from you, Jihl. We figured it best with your return only three and a half weeks ago, to let you and Lightning settle in with us and not bog you down with something so heavy, but it impacts you and I know you might've been hearing snippets of conversations. Jeanne and I wanted to tell you first, and let you decide how to proceed with it."

"What are you talking about, Mum?" Jihl asked, brows closing in together. She was immediately glad Cereza hadn't gone to Lightning saying this, at least. Imagine the field day Lightning's head would have with something being hidden from them. "What's going on?"

Cereza released another breath and finally said, "You know how Jeanne and I attend our duties throughout the day, Umbra things, Jeanne taking care of her responsibilities in-between our searches for Raina?" Jihl nodded in following, "Well," Cereza admitted, "The reason we've been so busy with them is because we are preparing to war with Cocoon."

Jihl couldn't say she was completely surprised, but the suddenness of the news still startled her. She imagined there would've been some consequences after they returned, but the delayed hesitation in attacking Cocoon made little sense to her. Why give time to let the fury die down over their return? The Umbra could wipe out Cocoon in days, not weeks if they wanted. Though Jihl wasn't sure what Sage could do about it or how strong he'd be to conquer yet. So, she merely asked, "You are?" because she needed more details about this first.

"Yes," Cereza nodded, "It's something the Umbra unanimously decided upon only a few days after you and Lightning came home to us. With what you've told us and the scouts we've been sending, we see no redemption to be had with the men. We're going to finish what we started in the first purge and rid Cocoon of them. Those women who've not been twisted to their ways may be spared, but we don't suspect many rescues will be taken in." Cereza observed her as Jihl absorbed that in. She touched her hand. "Are you all right, Jihl?"

Jihl shook of her wandering thoughts with this new information, "Yeah," Jihl claimed, "I mean, that's fine. The men deserve to die anyway, and you're right about no redemption in them, Mum. They're all like that."

Cereza nodded in agreement, gently rubbing Jihl's wrist. "I thought you'd take it okay."

"Yeah, I mean," Jihl already started formulating ideas from it, "Can I come, Mum? I don't care for much of Cocoon either."

Cereza moved an arm around Jihl's back and stroked her shoulder, injured eyes on her daughter. "That's not something I can allow, Jihl. It's going to be a slaughtering. I know you hate them, but that's not something I want you to see, much less participate in."

Dammit, but Jihl understood her mother's unwillingness, and she wasn't going to push her to heartache again the way they'd done with Fang. "When are you going?" Jihl asked out of curiosity. Her mothers would undoubtedly be gone a few days at least for the slaughtering. Jihl wanted to know when.

"Not for some time yet," Cereza said, and it eased her. Lightning especially wasn't ready yet for the slaughtering of their home. While she held no love for men, Sage was another matter, and Jihl hadn't broken her of that. "Jeanne and I both, we were… more concerned over Lightning, and the attachments she's made."

"You didn't tell her yet, did you?" Jihl asked concernedly; Lightning would freak and take ten steps back if they had.

"No," Cereza shook her head, rubbing Jihl's arm soothingly as she leaned her against her body. "That was the bulk of our hesitation in telling you. We both don't think Lightning's ready to hear it— "

"She's not," Jihl agreed bluntly with a breath of relief that they'd held their tongues from saying it. "Lightning's coming around slowly, but I don't want her to freak. You said this isn't happening for a little while, right Mum? What is that, a few weeks?"

"It depends," Cereza said softly, "Maybe a month. Maybe less if we find what we need to before then."

"I don't think we should tell her," Jihl announced. "She'll freak too much that you intend to kill 'dad.' She needs some more time to wake up from her head of it."

Cereza gazed at her sadly, not knowing in its entirety, but sadly aware of how twisted Lightning's head was too. "If you think that's best, Jihl, Jeanne and I agree. But if you need to tell her sometime earlier, we understand too. We didn't mean to keep this from you in malice."

"I know, Mum." Jihl hugged her at her side. "You were right. Don't be sad about it."

Cereza gave her a little squeeze. "How is she, Jihl?"

"Really, I think she's doing a lot better, Mum." Jihl confessed truthfully, observing the slight, little things in Lightning with each passing day. A little nicer, a little more comfortable, and settling a little more with each day. She just needed more time to finalize her doubts, then common sense could come in and register to Lightning. She wished they could beat Lightning with the truth more obviously somehow, which got Jihl thinking again. "Mum…" Cereza squeezed her arm to show she was listening.

"Where is Raina?" Jihl finally asked. It'd been weeks without Lightning's mum appearing; even Jihl had to admit, Lightning's paranoia here might have reason, much as she was hoping otherwise. Meeting her mother could only help Lightning; since she'd almost-passed over her 'hate Umbra' mantra, Jihl thought it'd be a great attachment for Lightning. But Raina just wasn't appearing. "Is she dead?" Jihl asked bluntly.

Cereza frowned, stroking a hand through Jihl's long locks smoothly. "You're picking up Rhea's bluntness, I see." Jihl smiled at what she took as something special shared between them, and let her mom go on. "Raina's not dead, no," Cereza finally revealed, "But neither does she want to be found or have anything to do with the Umbra anymore. It's why we're having such a hard time finding here."

"Why did she leave?" Jihl asked curiously. Why would anyone want to leave this haven and her sisters to distance herself like that? Jihl had no idea.

"She was exiled," Cereza said with a heavy sigh, "Raina was the best of us. Very smart, and very driven to do the right thing, no matter the cost or personal penalty." Heh, Jihl mused silently, sounded just like her boggled little Lightning. "And very more vocal about it. She was opposed to using Fang from the very beginning when we found her. It was something she fought with everyone over, including myself and Jeanne."

"You supported it, Mum?" Jihl asked, more out of curiosity than any delving interest into the matter.

"We didn't," Cereza corrected, "But the gift of immortal children proved too tempting a thing for the majority of our sisters. We had just discovered childbirth only a few decades before, that the Yuns were capable of giving us the reproductive life of mortals. We were happy with it, and so were they."

"We became obsessed with reproduction and, after decades of everyone trying for babies, we gradually bore a few. There was Adelaide, Pheme, Carme, and both of you, who were our miracle babies, born in the same year."

"Then we were taken," Jihl picked out.

"Yes," Cereza shook her head, "But we didn't know. We would've ripped Cocoon in a second to find you, Jihl."

Jihl offered her mother a little smile. "I know, Mum." Cereza smiled back at her bravely, stroking through Jihl's hair.

"We were devastated when you disappeared. Most of us who'd bore our babies couldn't bear the heartache of it enough to try again. You visit Ariadne, don't you, Jihl?"

Jihl nodded. "I wish Adelaide had made it for her."

Cereza kissed the top of her head. "We were all distraught. Some of us took it as a sign of the Gods, some like me and Jeanne were just too hurt to try again, a few us of continued to try… we only bore one more child, Athena's, in nine years beyond it, which was even a little short for the time it took for us to become pregnant."

"Then Fang came along?" Jihl surmised, figuring this the most likely route for why the baby craze had taken up again.

"Yes," Cereza confirmed, "She was young, only sixteen when we picked her up, but she'd been prophesied as the giver of immortal children. It was something we ignored to deal with later if it ever came when we had our numbers up in Cocoon, but then, when we were desperate and especially few…"

Odile took that in. "Rhea's eight," she pointed out deductively, "And the oldest of the children? So, it took Fang five years?"

"As opposed to two decades," Cereza established, "Yes, and we weren't trying the first few years. Not until Roma started demanding she be passed to try with someone else. Jeanne and I especially weren't ready for Fang; it'd only been nine years since you'd disappeared, but Jeanne was Elder; it was almost a unanimous vote to sacrifice one Yun and use Fang. Raina didn't agree, and Ariadne still ached too much to vote for it, but aside from the small collection of us, we were vastly outvoted."

"Is that when Raina got kicked out? Because she wouldn't use Ragnarok?"

"Raina was very vocal against it." Cereza repeated, "Jeanne tried to calm her and say we had to proceed subtly lest we lose the small holding we had concerning Fang, but Raina wouldn't hear it. She was infuriated that the council would even consider raping our own creation and accused us of being no better than the Sages. Roma headed the plan of exile, but Raina didn't make it very hard for the rest of them. Some, like Persephone and Cybele had lost children too, and no one appreciated how guilty she made them all feel over Fang. Jeanne's been trying, but when Roma took Raina's place as Second to the Elder under Jeanne, it's a miracle she even holds the position anymore with our perspectives of Fang."

"Hmm," Jihl mentally jotted it all down in her head. There was little of it Lightning couldn't outright claim as lying if it was told to her, but it didn't hurt to know these things to drop in sneakily on occasion. "Mum… why do you hate the Sages so much? I know you warred and cut each other to bits, but… something started that." Jihl had a notion she knew already, but Sage had altered other bits of the story when he'd told them. He could've made up the whole seducing thing too, which sounded a lot like rape. And this would be something she could tell to Lightning.

When Cereza didn't immediately answer, Jihl glanced back and up at her to see Cereza had closed her eyes in pain. "Mum?" Jihl asked uncertainly, wondering if she shouldn't have asked.

"I'm sorry, Jihl." Cereza apologized briefly, "It's a little more personal to me."

"I'm sorry, Mum," Jihl apologized quickly, "You don't have to tell me."

Cereza rubbed down her back, then squeezed. She held her for a long minute, then finally said, "Other Umbra… they don't have mothers, they don't remember childhoods, they just remember being." Jihl stayed quiet as she listened to her mother, feeling Cereza's warm arms in a hug over her. "It wasn't like that for me. I'd been born out of a womb, fathered by a Sage."

"Mum?" Jihl couldn't help her blanching. Cereza rubbed up the side of her belly.

"The war was started by a rape," Her mother revealed finally, "The Umbra were always more flirtatious and sexually interested in each other. The Sages used to joke and sneer about it being a 'mortal weakness,' but we would tease them right back. We enjoyed each other's company and lived well in Cocoon's heavens, divided, but at peace with the Sages."

"Mum," Jihl said, feeling her squeeze around her belly. She could assume the rest: an innocent flirtation, probably a tease, turned into something much worse that'd harmed her grandmother in raping, where Jihl's mother had been conceived. "I'm sorry."

"Shh, baby," Cereza eased; Jihl felt so safe in her arms, even in her tender moment like this. "We weren't faultless," she revealed quietly, "When they wouldn't kill him to our demand, we attacked... It destroyed all of us in the end."

"Mum…" Jihl wiggled about in her arms until she faced her, then threw her arms around her mother and squeezed.

"Shhh, Sweetie," Cereza eased, laying back to the bed with her and wrapped Jihl in strong arms. For a long moment, Jihl wanted to spill every detail, every instance she knew of Sage. She wanted to tell her mother everything of his existence and wipe him from the planet with ease, the mere flick of an Umbra hand in squashing that old, wrinkled disease, she almost told her everything.

But… Lightning.

Biting her tongue against the pain of keeping quiet in this, Jihl squeezed her poor Mummy, the only God-blooded Umbra born of a rape.


	25. Chapter 25

**XXX**

Odile opened the bedroom door and Lightning lifted her head from the flat-spread position on the bed she'd taken. "Lightning," Odile fluttered to her side and plopped on the bed to curl beside her. "Hey, Baby."

"Hey," Lightning greeted back with a faint smile, tucking an arm around Odile.

"You look all inquisitive again," Odile remarked, "Second time in two days. Something bothering you, Light?"

"I don't know," Lightning confessed, "I've just been thinking of your moms a little bit."

"Oh?" Odile posed, then hesitated a moment, hand on Lightning's chest. "Do you think of Raina at all, Lightning?"

Lightning looked at her, eyebrows drawing together frowningly. "I doubt she's like your moms."

Odile hesitated in a long pause, then finally admitted. "Mum mentioned her today."

"Really?" Lightning started to sit up, lifting Odile with her. "What'd she say?"

"Lightning…"

"Just tell me," Lightning said commandingly, "Did they find her? Is she coming here?"

"They didn't find her yet," Odile sighed. "…And I don't think I should be the one talk to you about it." Lightning's eyes sharpened on her in dismay.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't know everything." Odile supplied simply, "And you're already getting angry."

Lightning breathed out in frustration. Odile was right, but this had importance. "I want to know, Odile. It's my mom."

"Mums would tell you if you asked," Odile offered simply, "They're not hiding anything, Lightning."

"You don't find it suspicious that after almost four weeks, they haven't found her yet?"

"I did at first," Odile said agreeably. "But not anymore, no."

"You're killing me," Lightning stressed.

"You could've asked them any time, Light." Odile pointed out gently, "You haven't. I don't think you've been ready. I still don't know."

Lightning's eyes softened on her. She had a small point in the asking… Lightning wouldn't have believed them before. But Jeanne and Cereza, she knew them better now, and they were good people. Lightning could probably expect honesty, especially Jeanne, with her offer ringing in Lightning's head on various occasions when she'd mentioned Raina. "I'll listen," Lightning insisted to Odile, "I'm ready."

"Then ask Mum," Odile replied, smile faint, and Lightning wondered if she enjoyed this on some level. "She'll know more than me."

Lightning gave her a look, but decided. "I'll be back in a bit."

Odile kissed her. "Good luck, luv," and Lightning took off immediately. She finally found Jeanne in the front yard with Fang and Rhea and approached a little more tentatively from Jeanne's side.

"Jeanne…" Lightning cleared her throat quietly, coming up beside the tall Umbra who glanced over to look her way. "Can we… talk a little?"

Jeanne registered surprise, then softened immediately. "Of course, Lightning," Jeanne motioned to Fang, who'd checked her way at the note of Lightning's mother. "Fang, please stay with Rhea."

Fang nodded her okay and Jeanne gently took Lightning's arm to lead her away. Lightning kept her head down when she felt Jeanne looking her way. "We can walk around the back if you like," Jeanne offered gently, and Lightning nodded because she needed time to think anyway after rushing to this from Odile. There was so much to ask, so much she didn't know, and wasn't sure if she wanted to either. "What's on your mind, Lightning?"

"I don't know," Lightning admitted, now starting to doubt if this had been the right choice to come questioning. Was she ready to hear what Jeanne would say? Maybe Odile had been right. Lightning trusted Jeanne's word, but the woman wasn't incapable of wrongdoing either. In that, she was as blemished as Lightning. Imagine how much worse her mother could be. At least Jeanne felt guilty about those she'd raped. So ironic, Lightning thought bitterly; what she hated most about her mother was exactly what she had become for other reasons. Lightning wasn't sure she was ready to hear those reasons, and less sure yet that they should come from Jeanne.

Maybe she should've waited like Odile had thought. This could be a rather quick conversation. Lightning bit her lip; maybe it wasn't right to hear these things from Jeanne. Her mom had left the clan, or been kicked from it. What she could've done to deserve that could be so much worse than what she knew of any of the Umbra here. Lightning didn't really want to know the extent of her persecution that'd gotten her kicked free.

Maybe... maybe she just wasn't ready to hear it from Jeanne.

Will dissolving to know, Lightning quickly blurted instead. "It's about Fang."

"Lightning," Jeanne touched her shoulder sweetly, "Let's sit down," the Elder urged, parking them at a bench in the back that overlooked the whole garden and beds of roses in the back. "Is this about sleeping with Fang?"

Lightning immediately thought about what Fang had said, now that the conversation had been triggered that way. She'd laughingly told her to ask Jeanne that first day, and Jeanne, being Umbra leader… she would know about all Fang's sex arrangements. "The other day," Lightning started, genuinely curious, "Fang said something that I'm having trouble processing. It's… not really pleasant conversation."

"What'd she say?" Jeanne asked with a disturbed frown.

"She said she'd raped other Yuns," Lightning breathed out in a quick puff, "And it's really been bothering me. I thought she was lying, but she said I could ask you and… " Lightning glanced at her in her strain to see Jeanne severely distressed over it. "What?" Lightning asked, eyes widening, "It's true?"

"No, Lightning. Not exactly," Jeanne sighed, stress lines showing in an otherwise perfectly youthful face, "It's more complicated than that, and it doesn't reflect the Umbra in our best light."

"What?" Lightning asked, interest piquing with Jeanne's words and the concern etched on her face. "What doesn't? And not exactly what?"

Jeanne breathed, long and harshly released. "I imagine Fang told you that for a reason?" Jeanne asked, tired eyes sticking to Lightning in resignation.

"She wanted me to stop feeling guilty… " Lightning admitted, turning her eyes away. "For what I do to her."

"Sounds like Fang. She's always hated it with me the worst because of that." Jeanne echoed a third and last little sigh, and Lightning couldn't lift her face after sharing that sin with Jeanne. "Fang doesn't rape other Yuns by her choice, Lightning. We make her do it."

That lifted Lightning's head to stare. Unexpected, wide eyes followed Jeanne, who stared on ahead, undaunted by her horror. "It's to bear another Ragnarok. Or more of them." Jeanne told simply, "Because destroying one woman is not enough for my people."

Lightning's jaw felt loose; she tried to work it for words, but they didn't come before Jeanne looked at her with a face of true exhaustion. Lightning felt like she was staring straight into Jeanne. "Don't try to understand it, Lightning. There's nothing I could tell you that would ease what we've done to the Yuns or Fang." Jeanne lowered her head again with a little shake of it. "We've become primitive. There's no way to soften it."

"But you're Elder," Lightning finally managed in choking, overwhelmed in processing it. Jeanne didn't back this; how had the rest of the clan turned so far the other way? "Can't you veto it?"

"If only it could be that easy." Jeanne ran a hand through her hair, "Control is elusive, Lightning. And I barely have enough to slow the progressions we've made with Fang, let alone to stop what's happening."

"The others push you into it," Lightning said, figuring it with Jeanne's clear unwillingness. What was it Fang had said about being grateful for Jeanne in her situation? Jeanne wasn't sitting by idly as this happened. "You keep Fang comfortable." Lightning realized with a start, imagining Fang as she had claimed, chained to a bed in a lightless room. That's exactly what Fang had been saying, that she had no right to complain! Did the other Umbra want that horrific picture of Fang? Roma had seemed pretty vicious in the meeting over Jeanne's sympathy for Fang.

"I haven't been able to do much for Fang," Jeanne admitted slowly, sadly, then with more conviction, "But Cereza and I won't abandon her. She's like a da… " Jeanne cut that off with a wince and rephrased, "Like kin to us now."

Lightning stared at Jeanne; the older Umbra shared the exact position as Lightning, stuck in something she didn't want to and playing the little parts she could to help. Lightning ached, the urge to tell Jeanne about Sage returning so strongly with his plan. Jeanne might even agree to it if it'd help Fang and the Yuns; she could bring back Sage the baby with Jeanne's blessing and help. They could all save Fang with Odile's family safely out of the way!

But… Sage hated the Umbra, and the Umbra hated him. Jeanne was _Elder _of their clan. There was no way… and what would Jeanne really say about bringing Sage a baby? Sage wanted to breed an army with her baby, which was…

Lightning felt a little dizzy, caught by it all of a sudden. Breed. Sage wanted their children to breed. Lightning would bear a little girl, not a beast, and Sage's plan was to breed.

Neither of them had thought of this, thinking Ragnarok a beast. Oh, Gods, a little girl into that world of men. Lightning went lightheaded with extreme unease.

"Lightning," Jeanne eased, arm around her shoulder as she leaned her against her side and touched Lightning's cool forehead, who's vision swirled in dizziness. Jeanne cradled her head to her shoulder, unable to even say soothing words to Lightning as she blinked rapidly, trying to clear her horrified head.

None of them had thought of this; not she, Odile, or Sage. How could they have? They'd thought Fang had been a beast. But Gods, she wasn't, and Lightning would never put her own child through what she'd endured under the hands of men. Never.

Lightning had to talk to Sage.

"Lightning," Jeanne stroked through her dark strands, eyes cast on Lightning.

"I'm okay," Lightning echoed raggedly, affected for so many reasons beyond simply Fang. Her heart raced. She closed her eyes and tried to think of nothing at all. She should meditate, like Jeanne had taught.

"Raina never participated." Jeanne said after a quiet few seconds in calming. Lightning lifted her head to look into Jeanne's earnest face. "Your mother," Jeanne spoke in kindness, "Never took Fang, and never supported it among the council. That's why she was kicked out, Lightning. She stood up for Fang."

"Raina never participated." Jeanne said after a quiet few seconds in calming. Lightning lifted her head to look into Jeanne's earnest face. "Your mother," Jeanne spoke in kindness, "Never took Fang, and never supported it among the council. That's why she was kicked out, Lightning. She stood up for Fang."

Lightning gazed at Jeanne with wide eyes, so overwhelmed in information as she stared, unable to sort and comprehend it all coming in. "What?"

"Your mother was a standout, Lightning. She left us and never looked back. Not once in all of this." Jeanne told her gently, "But I knew Raina, and she loved you very much. I'm going to find her for you, Lightning. I'll do everything I can."

Lightning finally gave in and hugged Jeanne.

**XXX**

Jihl was sitting by the fire's warmth again when the door opened again, revealing her girlfriend over that way. "Hey, Lightning." The door slapped shut behind her as Lightning hurried in, coming more into the light and looking horribly frightened under the dark jut of her hair. Jihl started to stand. "Did you talk with— "

Not stopping in her forward motion, Lightning grabbed her and pressed her lips to Jihl's desperately. Jihl felt the touch of wetness to her cheeks, then saw Lightning had tears in her eyes when she pulled away, but didn't let go of her hold around Jihl's waist. "Lightning— "

"We have to stop sleeping with Fang," Lightning announced suddenly in a breath, startling Jihl silly with the statement.

"What?"

"Fang's human," Lightning spoke in a hush desperately. "We'd have girls. And I won't take a daughter back to our world of men."

Jihl's eyes widened at the declaration. Her heart fluttered in hope. Could the talk with her Mums have gone so well? "What are you saying, Lightning?"

"They're not going to breed our babies," Lightning said with a small pant, seeming exhausted. "I won't do that. Odile…" Jihl cupped her cheek, barely breathing for how mind-numbingly excited she felt. "We can't let him hurt your moms."

"Sage?" Jihl asked in slack-jawed surprise.

"He would kill them. They killed his clan. He wouldn't take mercy on them. But it's not their fault. They're trying to help Fang."

"Lightning, whoa," Jihl braced an arm around Lightning in turn to keep her steady, half not comprehending everything Lightning was saying. What did this mean? Lightning's faith in him couldn't have snapped just like that, could it have? "Slow down."

"We can't," Lightning said again, like in mourning, "We didn't think of it. Fang gives human babies, and girls… your moms are innocent in it, just trying to help…" Jihl caught her lips again and silenced Lightning, who kissed back passionately, desperate, and needy of Jihl then. The kiss slowed as Lightning savored her and gradually pulled away, lovely features still contorted in pain. "…We can't go back to him, can we?"

Is that what she was sad about? Well, that was a shame, but Jihl would take it. Gods, she'd take this. "No, we can't," Jihl brushed aside a few of her black strands to Lightning's sad little blues.

"You already knew." Lightning searched her eyes.

"Yes, I did." Jihl agreed, filling with an overwhelming happiness better than sex.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Lightning asked, hurt and confused. Jihl snorted.

"Why didn't I tell you?" she shook her head with a small smile. "You have a head muggier than a swamp, and you're asking why I didn't tell you?"

Lightning lowered her eyes, mind probably going back to their fight, if Jihl judged the guilt in her eyes correctly. "I was so thick."

"Yes, you were." Jihl agreed in relief, one hand lifting up Lightning's back to play with her hair. "But you know what?" Jihl caught her eyes before she smiled grandly at Lightning, rubbing a hand up through her hair. "This is the best birthday present I could ever ask for."

"Your birthday's tomorrow."

Rush surging through her blood, Jihl firmly attached to Lightning and kissed high back up her cheek as her girlfriend's arms wrapped around her. "Let's remember it, Light."


	26. Chapter 26

**XXX**

"Come on!" Rhea urged excited, tugging Jihl by the hand. "We've gotta get into the coliseum where there's more moon— ohh!" As soon as she reached the moonlit-touched midst of the coliseum, Rhea dropped to the ground in a kneel and covered her hands over her head. "It's coming, Jihl! Can't you feel it? I can barely hold it in."

"Rhea," Jihl dropped to the ground beside her, hand on the little one's shoulder as she quaked. Never having witnessed it before, she stared with understandable concern as Rhea shook. "Are you okay?"

Rhea looked up at her and strained to smile as the very beginnings of her muscles started to twitch for the transformation. "Watch," Rhea managed, so tense, balled, and twitching as her body readied for the transformation. Jihl gasped as the muscles and bone pulled together in Rhea's face. She fell on her butt in watching as Rhea as the little one's body shifted and remolded. Rhea dropped onto her hands and knees as the shaping morphed her body into something small, slender, and red specked and striped amidst the black backdrop coloring of her fur. Her simply fell off, though the animal had to kick to remove her pants fully. With a leap, the small, two-and-a-half foot animal jumped Jihl's chest and flattened her to the ground. The little animal roared, tossing her head back to resound something that almost sounded over a growl, then looked down at Jihl and licked her face.

"Oh, my Gods!" Jihl exclaimed, reaching up to wrap her full two arms around the ocelot. "You're so cute!"

Rhea squeaked at the sudden hug, pulled against Jihl's gracious breasts. She huffed and scraped at the ground with her bottom two feet, tail going crazy. "Rhea," Jihl sat up with her, pushing her little sister into a sit that had Rhea squealing on her tail. "Lightning, look! I want one!"

Fang smiled faintly as Rhea squirmed and regained her four feet. She growled at Jihl until Jihl laughed and tickled between her ears on the back of her head, which had Rhea cooing, the spot so tender as she lowered her head for more. Jihl grinned deviously. "You want to race, Rhea?" Rhea lifted her head to show she was listening. Jihl pointed. "Race you to tackle Lightning."

"Hey," Lightning objected, standing from her spot by the flowers. "Jihl, don't— "

"Go!" Jihl shouted, and Rhea took off like a bullet which ended up toppling Lightning. Lightning growled something petty and sat up to be startled out of her mind as a big, fluffy white lynx stomped next to her little cub Rhea.

"Holy f— " Lightning's curse cut off by a gleeful chuckle from Jihl.

"Mum!" Jihl exclaimed in delight, going towards the fluffy beast to pet her. "You're so beautiful." Cereza stood smiling above them. Rhea hopped around Jihl like crazy until she received the same treatment.

"Does this mean Lightning would be pink?" Jihl cried in delight.

"Pink?" Rhea cried in equal enthusiasm. "I love pink! Why's it black like mine if she's pink?"

Jihl grinned wryly at the face Lightning gave her. "She's just shy, is all."

"Don't even think about it," Lightning warned.

Jihl pouted. "Not even for my birthday?" which made Lightning stiffen, and Jihl chuckle and kiss her head. "Fine, fine, I'm kidding."

"Are you ready?" Cereza asked her daughter, hand going to Jihl's shoulder with her poise resumed. Jihl grinned. "It'll be easier to turn in Witch Time." With a snap, they all disappeared from their place to end up in slightly different places. In Jihl's plate, a lean caracal sat instead stood overtop of Lightning and licked her face relentlessly.

"Jihl!" Lightning sputtered, trying to cover her face in vain. Rhea joined in the fun until Lightning rolled to get away, panting. Jihl approached her again with her head lowered. Lightning glared. "I'm not petting you." Jihl nudged her hand with a kitty nose, and in the next minute, Lightning stroked her between the ears, although grumblingly. She pet up the long ears to the pointy tips incredulously. "What is this?" Lightning scoffed. Jihl nosed in and licked her mouth, which had her sputtering again.

Rhea nudged in for attention again and soon, she and Jihl raced around the coliseum with Jeanne turned back by Cereza and Lightning. Fang watched the sisters play, and Jihl participate in Rhea's little chasing games that eventually had Rhea biting Jihl's tail. They made an adorable pair of cats, and Jihl, extremely bigger, exercised caution with Rhea until Jihl finally relaxed and laid down on her belly, seeming exhausted. Rhea came up against her big-kitty sister and plopped down against Jihl, who started changing in another moment and groaned.

Lightning hurried to her naked partner who sat with an arm atop of kitty-Rhea. "I think this is a little inappropriate, Rhea," Jihl said to the small ocelot who looked back at her with what Fang would judge to be a grin if she weren't animaled out. Then Rhea started to change too.

"Come on," Lightning urged with a grunt, moving Jihl's hair in front of her breasts. "Cover yourself."

"What? Are you gonna get jealous of my mums?" Jihl laughed as Lightning covered her with a little glare. Rhea mewled on the ground, sore from her transformation. Before Fang could, Jihl knelt beside her, completely unabashed of her nakedness like a Yun. "You okay, Precious?" Jihl asked kindly, brushing back Rhea's hair from her face to find her sweating, but smiling.

"Did you like it, Jihl?"

"I loved it," Jihl grinned, making Rhea's smile grow. Jeanne came by with the ripped shirt and scratched pants.

"Rhea," she sighed.

"I was just so excited, Mum!" Rhea claimed in innocence.

"We'll make quite the spectacle getting home," Cereza grinned, handing Jihl her broken clothes as well.

They made such a family, Fang's heart was eased to see Rhea so happy.

"Did you see me, Fang?" Rhea asked in glee, popping beside Fang shamelessly in her lack of things. "Did you see how long I held it?"

"I saw," Fang smiled at her.

Jihl pondered the thought with a glance at Lightning. "Just how long can we stay like that anyway?"

Lightning caught the tail end of the look, startled. "No."

"Whaat?" Jihl grinned, far from innocent.

"Absolutely not. Stop thinking of it."

"Stop thinking of what?" Jihl teased playfully.

"Actually…" Cereza started, then shut up at Jeanne's sharp look and smiled, winking at Jihl in a way that had Lightning shuddering.

"What?" Rhea asked, the only truly innocent one there. "What's Lightning thinking of?"

"Nothing important," Fang dissuaded.

"She keeps the tassels," Cereza said on aside, "Links the guns to her shoulder rings with her feet, and they flow out real sexily." Jeanne sighed. Cereza whisperingly said, "I use my tail; hers is too short to do anything."

"Cereza!" Jeanne barked, grabbing her wife by the arm. Even Lightning blushed for her, then looked a bit more scared when Jihl glanced her way.

"Mum uses her tail for what?" Rhea cried in undying curiosity. "Tell me!"

Jihl stroked a hand through her hair. "Come on, Sweetie. Let's make some dinner together when we get home, okay?"

**XXX**

The next day, Jihl opened her eyes to food serviced on a tray, including her favorite kind of biscuits, a few bacon strips, some sliced apple fruit, and her absolute favorite, a whole _row _of countless suckers on little wooden toothpicks. "Lightning!" Jihl gleefully delighted, grabbing her to kiss before she'd even tried anything.

"Happy birthday, Odile." Lightning greeted with a morning smile that melted her straightaway

Jihl grinned her way, so especially happy with Lightning. "My first birthday celebrated on the day. Let's start it right," Jihl handed her the tray to put on the desk. "Sex first, please." Odile took Lightning's face in her hands and made sweet, perfect love to her lady.

Lightning lay exhausted and sweating, glistening as she gazed at Jihl, the most precious, beautiful thing she'd ever seen in all her life. "I love you."

Lightning breathed so tiredly, but a wonderful smile took her face. She echoed back the sentiment wholly, then passed breakfast to Jihl again. "Thank you," Jihl took the tray and handed her a bun to munch.

"We have to clean up after this," Lightning claimed.

"And what if I intend to ravish you all day?"

Lightning smiled cutely, a little shyness coming through. "Your moms want some too, I think." Lightning's face screwed up after she'd said it. "But not like that." Jihl grinned widely and Lightning hurried on past it, "Besides, one of my gifts involves them."

"Ooh," Jihl excited, "Are you finally sitting down to share a kink talk with mum?"

"Hopefully, it's better than that."

"With both of them?"

"You scare me sometimes." Jihl grinned and reluctantly handed off one of her bacon pieces for Lightning. By the time they'd finished showering, Lightning directed her carefully. "You don't have to put on your clothes back on."

Jihl's eyebrows went up. "You know I was kidding about the thing with my mums, right?"

"Oh, shut up." Lightning hushed, taking her back into their bedroom. "Stay here, and don't make yourself wet while you're waiting. I'll be right back with them."

"Them, my mums?" Jihl asked, so curious about these directions.

"Wait here," Lightning said again, dressed, then left the room. Jihl's toes curled, so anxious. It seemed to take forever for Lightning to get back with them. Lightning came in first, "I've been talking with them about getting these for a little bit…" Lightning prefaced. Jeanne and Cereza came in after her; with them, they had a series of rings attached to little pikes that'd drive into the skin. Jihl's eyes bulged.

"Lightning!" She was kissing her in another second, then hugging both of her mothers, not caring about nakedness, she was so excited for this. Jihl stood before the fire, unable to contain her happiness as Jeanne explained how the piercings would work and held one up to show her. It was a little ring on top of a small, jutting U-bend that Jeanne explained would hook under her skin.

"The circlet lays on top of the one side so it's a mostly-loose ring. Your skin won't pull when you tighten your hair through it, and the U-loop makes it harder to aggravate if your skin rubs against something because you'll just be rubbing the loose ring part. After pinching the U under your skin, we close it off at the same spot at the bottom of the ring, keeping the ring loose, flexible, and able to take the strain of your hair pulling it without pulling on your skin directly. It's going to pinch when we put it in, but Cereza and I will heal your skin so the cells stabilize again immediately. The spots may still be tender, though."

"That's okay, Mum," Odile encouraged, so excited, "I want them."

Jeanne smiled, kissed her head, and told her, "Happy birthday, Jihl." They started straight off on her legs first and spaced the piercings far enough that they wouldn't touch each other when resting. Jihl held Lightning's hand through the pinching of her skin for them, but they were quick to heal the skin around it, and it was nothing terrible concerning pain, though they stuck her a little deeper with the small U than expected, Jihl loved every second of it.

"How do they look?" She asked Lightning as Cereza pierced up her left leg, Jeanne up her right, staying on the outer edge of her leg that almost matched up to her hip line.

"They're coming along well," Lightning reported, taking them in from her perspective at the side.

"It may take a few days to completely master how to lace your hair through them," Jeanne added, and Jihl lifted the tips of her hair in excitement to try it.

"Still find that weird." Lightning stared at the wiggling ends of her hair that seemed to share Jihl's enthusiasm. She patted them back down, which made Jihl laugh.

Almost all the way up her legs, a little head poked in from the doorway and Jihl grinned even wider at little Rhea standing there. "Come in," Jihl urged her, completely unabashed with her family, "What's a little nakedness between sisters?" Rhea bit her lip and joined them to coo, wince, ooh and ahh for Jihl as they finished piercing up her legs.

"Oh, wow!" Rhea squeaked, "They're so beautiful! You have such nice legs, Jihl."

Jihl grinned, and her mothers carried on up her body. Rhea got more anxious and excited as they went, up Jihl's sides, V on her chest, and the small patches on the outside of her shoulders and arm. When they finished the last piercing, Rhea blurted in her excitement. "I made you something!"

Jihl's eyebrows went up in delight. She glanced at Lightning. "I'm getting the royal treatment here," who gave her back a rub in checking out the new rings on her girlfriend.

"They'll still be tender," Jeanne reminded again, "But if you want to try weaving your hair through them later today and keep the hair style you have, you can grow the underneath layer here," Jeanne indicated the hair at the back of her neck, "And extend that to cover yourself."

Jihl hugged them again and took Rhea's hand after, who practically bounced in her excitement. "Let's go see what you made."

Lightning cleared her throat. "Should probably… toss some clothes on." Which only made Jihl grin all the broader.

"We'll be testing the piercings tonight," Jihl promised her, winking.

When she'd dressed, Rhea hurried them all downstairs where Jihl found a two-layered, chocolate frosted cake with raspberries on the table that Rhea squeaked about, looking to Jihl in great, nervous anticipation. It smelled fantastic alone and made Jihl's stomach rumble. "Rhea, it's beautifulll," Jihl admired and meant it. Nobody had ever baked a cake for her before.

"Mummy helped me with the frosting since I didn't know how to make it, and she stacked it. We both picked the raspberries, but I made the cake and frosted it all by myself!"

Jihl could tell, the cake had such cute character with Rhea's slightly-uneven frosting job. She gave her little sister another hug. "I love it, and I'm so hungry. Let's kill it, Rhea." Rhea bounced in excitement, sharing the first cut into the cake that was then divided for everyone. It tasted like heaven; Jihl savored it with her family in what was quickly turning out to be a perfect day. When they'd all finished eating, Rhea announced.

"Fang likes cake, mum. I'm gonna get her for a piece."

"Okay, Rhea," Jeanne nodded that she could, and the little one scampered away to further share her cake. "We got you something else too, Jihl."

"There's more?" Jihl's eyes grew wide with Lightning's, who then gave her a tentative smile and a hand squeeze under the table.

Cereza excused herself away for the moment and came back with four ornate, carved boxes, which she laid on the table in front of Jihl. Two stood a little longer and two had a bit more height. Jihl opened them at her mothers bidding and found four beautiful, gem-encrusted guns inside. Two pistols had been attached to heeled shoes, and two were a bit bulkier, double-barreled sawn-off Rose shotguns. They gleamed, jewel-encrusted so beautiful in their snug, side-protected boxes, Jihl's eyes watered. "Mums…"

"No of-age daughter of ours should be without her Roses," Cereza said in reference to the guns, "We'll teach you how to use your hair to pull the triggers on the heels, and how to use them," Cereza offered warmly, then glanced at Lightning, "And if you show more interest in learning to use your hair, we'd be happy to show you too, Lightning, though Raina would specially want to craft yours herself, when she comes and if she approves."

"We'll alter the shoe if it doesn't fit," Jeanne added, "Lightning gave us your size."

"You knew?" Jihl asked in utter shock, the allowance reflecting an impossibility of Lightning's progress, who lowered her head a little, shy of it.

"I thought so after they asked… didn't see them before you just did."

Jihl hugged her, so caught up, and did so to her mothers again as Rhea returned with Fang for a healthy slice of cake and cooed over the gifts too. Jihl felt so overwhelmed in everything.

"Try them on!" Rhea encouraged excitedly, her hyper manifested in a much jumpier sort of energy that had her accidentally triggering Witch Time every now and again.

"They might take a little getting used to if you've never walked on a heel before," Jeanne warned, "It's a different elevation of the foot."

Jihl tried it, and the shoe fit perfectly. Lightning really had given her measurements; Jihl almost hadn't believed it until the fit slid on, so crafted for her foot. Jeanne was right too, walking with a heel seemed vastly different than a normal shoe, pressuring the forward balls of her feet more and unbalancing the pressure, but it was something she could get used to and smiled when Lightning glanced up the extra inches she gained on her. Rhea raced off to find her own, not-gun-heeled, but lifted shoes to practice with walking with Jihl until her feet got sore and her body, especially warm. Probably from Fang's prolonged presence with them, but Jihl liked to think the way Lightning watched her had the vaster majority to do with it.

Lightning seemed to notice the glaze in her eyes for sex, and so apparently did her mothers, for Jeanne took little Rhea and kissed her head after awhile, telling Jihl and Lightning they should put her gifts upstairs and 'rest her feet' which Jihl grinned at.

"Here," Cereza whispered in a hushed voice, "Use these." Jihl glanced between her fingers to find a pair of gold-rimmed glasses between her fingers and glanced at Lightning from behind her own black, butterfly rims. "She'll love them. Jeanne does." Cereza winked and Lightning flushed a deeper shade of pink. Jeanne sighed and pulled her wife away once again.

"I love you, Mums, Rhea," Jihl said in leaving, meaning it to all of them. "Lightning," she added, kissing her cheek as they started upstairs with her Roses and glasses. Lightning offered her another tentative smile as they returned to their room. Jihl stored her guns on the desk, lining the pretty boxes on the shelf, then told Lightning. "Wait here." She disappeared into the bathroom, closed the door, and tried her glasses, which she deemed Lightning might like immensely. Better to surprise her with them when she least it expected them, though. Storing the glasses where Lightning wouldn't look to find them, Jihl stripped of her clothes to be ready for Lightning. Should've kept the heels, she thought, but they could use those later just as well.

Appropriately stripped and after giving her hair a few brushes, making sure she looked her best for birthday sex with Lightning, Jihl exited the bathroom and stopped dead upon seeing her girlfriend. Sprawled out on the bed in a Come-Hump-Me manner, Lightning sat on her side facing the doorway to the bathroom with long, beautifully pink strands extended down her body's length, draped across her beautifully. They ended in a couple of feet of black where she had dyed it, but for the life of her, Jihl couldn't care a wit if it was silly. She was the most beautiful nymph in the world to her.

"Lightning!" Jihl practically jumped her bones in the bed, sliding right in against her body as she lifted a few of the gorgeous, champagne strands of her girlfriend's long, extended hair. She had forgotten how beautiful this hair was on Lightning, not having seen it in this fullness since Lightning was nine and made the decision to blacken it.

"It's just for today," Lightning said quickly, then shyer, so conscious about her beautiful hair. "A birthday present."

"You've practiced for me?" Jihl gaped, knowing the time it'd taken her to learn how to lengthen her hair. She must've been at it a few days at least, even a week maybe, in learning how to grow it so much. "But I just told you I wanted it yesterday."

"That was a coincidence," Lightning shared, adorably coy about this 'useless trait' of the Umbra. "I know you liked the color… so I asked Cereza and Jeanne to teach me, and practiced a couple of times. Then, you said you wanted it yesterday, which startled me…"

"You're amazing," Jihl breathed, gazing at her precious pink and Lightning's beautiful face.

Lightning lowered her eyes, "Happy birthday, Odile."

Jihl lifted a hand to Lightning's cheek and brushed back up the skin to her hair, which she fingered so affectionately. "Lightning," those pretty blue eyes caught hers so crystal-like, they sparkled as Jihl looked into them. "You think you could do one last thing, and make this the most memorable day of my life for me?"

"Anything." Lightning promised, stunning blues searching Jihl's face, then modified. "Within reason."

Jihl smiled, so warmed, loved, and amused by her lover. Cupping her beautiful cheek and chin, Jihl asked, "Use my name," Lightning's searching eyes widened just a little at the edges of Jihl's request. "Please," Jihl added, warmth and supreme happiness bubbling in her stomach at this, something she so badly wanted to hear from Lightning. "The one my mothers gave me. I like it better, and it… it fits our new home."

"Jihl…" Lightning whispered quietly, testing the new sound of it on her tongue. She'd heard her mothers, sister, and Fang call her it for awhile now, but Jihl knew what a big step it was to hear Lightning say it. Lightning met her eyes evenly with those beautiful, crystalline blues and said, "I love you, Jihl."

Jihl kissed her into the oblivion of the night.


	27. Chapter 27

"Ughh," Jihl groaned, wrapped so snugly in all her aching against Lightning's warm body. "I'm so hungry. You over-sexed my body. Ohh."

Lightning glanced back at her warily where Jihl held her, spooning from behind. "Aren't those my lines?"

"Just get me food," Jihl groaned, pushing at Lightning's back to slide her off the bed to get it.

"Why do I always get the food?"

"Because you hump it more than I do. And it's my birthday week."

Lightning rolled her eyes, "I'm going, I'm going, stop pushing." Almost tripping off the bed from Jihl's foot, Jihl trailingly said.

"I want lentil soup."

"Lentil— do you know how long that takes to make?"

"I'm so hungry," Jihl moaned, "I need it."

"You're going to hungry for a lot longer if I make it. And I'm going to put meat into it."

"Fiiine, just get me some!"

Lightning shook her head and kissed the top of Jihl's before leaving. "Don't fill up on water before I get back." Jihl ignored her, grabbed a pillow, and replaced Lightning in spooning with it. Lightning started downstairs with a sigh. She was going to be that way for the rest of the month, she could already tell. Spoiled princess girlfriend. Lightning smiled fondly as she entered the kitchen again.

Lightning hurried out the back first to select some cuts of meat, then returned to the kitchen with them. She went into the cellar and loaded up, grabbing onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, tomatoes and lentils. The spices would be upstairs. On her last trip up, Lightning found Fang in the kitchen, having wandered in as she surveyed the ingredients set around her. "You making something?"

"Lentil soup," Fang made a face, and Lightning added, "With meat."

"Better. You need some help?"

Lightning allowed her to assist with the many vegetables that needed cutting, but her heart had started to hammer with Fang right there. All those times she and Jihl had raped Fang, all for nothing. To make it worse, she now knew the truth behind Fang's supposed 'rape' of the other girls, and knew the whole reason to tell her otherwise was to make Lightning feel less guilty during sex. She might've claimed she hated it too, but the last two weeks of doing Fang had been made so much easier by the fib that Fang had crafted. All that on top of the prospect that she'd never sleep with Fang again, Lightning wanted to spill her guts in apology and tell Fang everything. She simply couldn't; a hypocrite for using Fang and not even thinking…

"You're unusually quiet." Fang remarked in the midst of carrot chopping, casting Lightning a wary glance.

Lightning kept her eyes on the potatoes she chopped. They were going to tell Fang eventually, she might as well do it without Jihl, keeping the awkwardness between her and Fang. Jihl hadn't wanted to sleep with Fang at all during this. "Fang, O— Jihl and I have made a choice."

Fang quirked an eyebrow. "That so?"

"Yes," Lightning affirmed, keeping her voice down. "We… we want to let you know that we're not going to sleep with you anymore. We've both been… doubtful about it for a long time, and we don't want to keep doing that to you."

"Huh," Fang returned uninterestedly to her carrots, "One of you pregnant?"

"What?" Lightning blurted, "No! It's not like that, Fang. No." Her heart hurt at the automatic assumption of her reason. "We just… it's wrong, and we don't want to keep using you like that." Fang didn't say anything, only continued to cut her vegetables evenly. Lightning swallowed a hard lump. "…Fang?" Fang glanced at her in acknowledgement and waited for Lightning to go on. Lightning didn't know what else to say.

"Did you want my opinion?" Fang finally asked when the silence had stretched an uncomfortable bit.

"…Not if you don't want to give it." Fang lowered her head in continuing to cut her vegetables. Lightning lowered hers too, the silence between them so uncomfortable now. She tried not to focus on it so intensely as she finished her portioning of the meat and prepared the pot over the fire. She startled when Fang touched her shoulder unexpectedly, only to lean over and dump in her tray of vegetables. Lightning wanted to speak to her, but still didn't have anything to say. Fang gave her a once-over as she pulled back her tray, then finally said.

"If you've really gotten out of your head about having a baby, I'm happy for you, Lightning. It wouldn't have helped you any."

The acknowledging in reply meant a lot to Lightning, even if she didn't deserve any words from Fang. "Thank you," she said, grateful. Fang simply nodded and returned to the table to finish the vegetables that remained. Lightning bit her lip hard, words on her tongue that she didn't want to restrain, but Fang was entitled to feel as she did, and she hadn't had to be nice to Lightning. Lightning didn't push her luck. She stirred the soup once and fetched spices from the cupboard, including salt, which she put on the table for Fang. Fang accepted the offering and handed Lightning the onions, all chopped rather nicely. Lightning felt much more comfortable as she added all their bits to the soup.

"Fannng!" A happy, little child's voice called out gleefully a moment before Rhea popped into the room. "Hi, Lightning!" She said in passing. Her nose crinkled adorably as she made her way to her target Fang. "Smells like vegetables in here." The resemblance to the face Fang had made was so uncannily the same, Lightning couldn't resist smiling at the adorable pair. "I wanna play a game," Rhea said importantly, popping into a chair next to Fang. "Mummies are busy. Play with me, Fang?"

"Sure," Fang agreed easily in smiling. "But let's get some food first, Rhea."

"Vegetables are gross."

"You can have some of my meat chunks," Fang told her, which delighted Rhea to no end.

"Coming up," Lightning said, needing it heated a little longer to cook completely. Simply listening to Fang with Rhea was more than pleasing as the little one discussed various games that she and Fang should invest in later in the day.

"I wanna try Witch Walking again," Rhea claimed.

"Maybe tonight," Fang promised, "But we'll see. There's only a crescent moon up yet."

While it shouldn't really have been surprising since Fang had grown up here, Fang's understanding of the Umbra calendar and its strengths pertaining to them surprised her. She must've learned it for Rhea, which was considerably sweet of her.

"Food's ready," Lightning finally announced and took bowls to ladle the hot stew out. She portioned Rhea's bowl, then Fang's, smiling again when Fang proceeded to pour liters of salt into the bowl. She started two more in big bowls so they wouldn't spill for Jihl and herself upstairs.

"Is Jihl coming to play?"

Lightning smiled kindly to the little one. "We'll be down in a little bit, Rhea."

"Okay," Rhea agreed, "Me and Fang will be in the back when you come for us!"

After bidding her promise that they'd be down to play later, Lightning carefully carried the soups back upstairs to find Jihl chugging a glass of water. "Hey," Lightning snapped, not mean, "Put that down. I've brought your soup."

"Food!" Jihl claimed happily, taking hers, "I've been waiting so long for this!"

Lightning sat next to her as Jihl began into it eagerly. "Fang was downstairs."

Jihl glanced at her, but her main focus was the bowl. "Did you say anything to her?"

"I told her we weren't going to sleep with her anymore."

"That's good."

"Yeah," Lightning agreed, own stomach growling as her bowl rested on her lap. "I don't know if she believes it yet, but… maybe she'll open up a bit more when she sees we mean it." Lightning blinked when she glanced over and found Jihl's bowl half gone. "You're eating that fast," Lightning remarked in surprise.

"It's really good," Jihl passed off, "Just Lightning, try not to take it so heavily about Fang. I know how you get with guilt, but you were after Fang to help her."

"But we didn't," Lightning countered, looking down at her bowl that a sad, angry stomach growled for. "Raping her was for nothing."

"It wasn't for nothing, Light. You were just trying to help."

"I was being stupid." Lightning corrected, that guilt settling back in. In the end of it all, she'd raped Fang for all the same reasons the Umbra repeatedly did. Blinded by her drive to help Fang and the Yuns, she'd only made it worse for a little while when they took Fang.

Lightning stared at her bowl moments longer before she glanced again at Jihl and startled sharply. "Are you… licking the bowl?"

Jihl snorted, bringing down the bowl that'd been at her lips. Lightning thought she'd seen a tongue. "I was drinking it," the bowl seemed suspiciously clean for that.

"You never finish your food," Lightning claimed, staring.

"I do here," Jihl rejected, eying her untouched bowl. "Their food tastes better than ours."

"You asked for lentil soup." Lightning said, staring at that empty bowl.

"I had a taste for it." Jihl gave her a crude look, "Stop looking at me like that."

"You asked for salad the other day, suckers before that, chug water like you're constantly parched…" Lightning's horror-reflected eyes lifted to Jihl's, who squinted at her.

"So…?" Lightning shoved aside her soup, spilling it, and jumped Jihl, who dropped her bowl and squeaked. "Hey! What the hell?" Lightning could barely hear her in her haste to push Jihl's long hair back off of her chest. "I'm practicing my clothes with that!"

Lightning stared at her girlfriend's boobs, straddled atop of Jihl's waist. Her eyes flitted across them in judging. "Your nipples are darker."

"They are not!" Jihl balked at the perceived insult. Lightning ignored her and grabbed Jihl's gigantic breasts in her hands. "Lightning!" Jihl barked in surprise. Lightning couldn't tell if she felt a difference in them or not, they'd always been so huge. "Ohh…" Jihl's eyelids fluttered as Lightning tried to measure. She pressed the nipples to see if they felt any different. "Okay," Jihl consented. "You can do that."

"Your boobs are tender too," Lightning reported, stomach tightening with the revelation as she stared at Jihl on the mattress and pulled her hands away. "Jihl…"

"Hey!" Jihl snapped, grabbing both of Lightning's hands. She redirected them back to her breasts. "You don't start a boob job and quit."

"Jihl— "

"Boobs first," Jihl demanded, "Then we talk. You'll be lucky if I don't eat your soup for this." Lightning soothed fingers over her breasts and Jihl twitched, immediately closing her eyes as her hands lifted around Lightning's neck. "Ohh," she shuddered, then surged in for an open-mouthed kiss that tasted quite good with the flavor of lunch still there. Lightning's stomach growled loudly.

"Don't even think about it," Jihl parted just to warn, then glued back to Lightning's mouth with savory tongue action. It _almost _got it out of Lightning's head, but her heart felt too heavy for that.

"Jihl…"

Jihl bit into her neck. Lightning scraped Jihl against the palms of her hands, then closed Jihl's tender tips between her finger and thumb. She rubbed in a way that had Jihl humming. Jihl scooted tighter to her at the waist, wanting them to rub. She always wanted them to rub. Jihl hissed in content, purring into her skin until Lightning brought her too close to the edge. Jihl bit into her skin, flexed, and tightened her legs around Lightning's hips.

Lightning hissed as her teeth broke skin.

"Ohh," Jihl held to her in bliss. "Lightning…"

Lightning hoped it was good for her because she felt heavy with dread.

Jihl breathed out quick until her breaths came easy again. She rested her forehead on Lightning's shoulder and slowly breathed in. Lightning rubbed up her back, not sure when or how she would say it. Jihl might not have even heard her, she'd been so insistent on the sex.

"So…" Jihl breathed out real long, then finally voiced. "You think I'm pregnant?" Lightning stiffened. For all the ways she didn't know how she'd say it, it was infinitely worse coming from Jihl. "That just registered. The food, the sex…"

Lightning could barely breathe for how petrified she felt. Jihl eased back from her shoulder, Lightning balanced on her lap. It was worse to see her face, confused… scared, things Jihl never was. "But it's only been a month." Jihl said weakly, searching her face. "Light…"

Lightning's throat felt full and sticky. "Maybe it's just their food," Lightning choked on the words of it. "I eat a lot more here too."

"You always liked to eat." Jihl claimed truthfully, lowering her eyes. "The other day, I asked Rhea to ransack Mums' room for a sucker…"

Lightning didn't fully trust herself to speak. What could she possibly say that'd be the right thing? Was there a right thing to say? She'd been so intent on the mission of helping Fang and the Yuns, she'd dragged her girlfriend into rape, a rape that she seemed pregnant from. Nothing would make this right, not ever.

"I'm… I'm not mother material, Light." Jihl echoed weakly, "I gave up on the idea that men could get us pregnant a long time ago. I wouldn't know where to start. We're both… unfit."

"Jihl… " Lightning could only stare. "This is all my fault."

"I fucked her too, Light," Jihl reminded with a sigh, "You'd think Bad Luck would give us a longer break already." Jihl looked at Lightning with heavy eyes. "It's not your fault, Lightning. Please don't feel guilty again. I'll feel worse. Please."

Lightning squeezed her arms around Jihl to embrace, afraid it'd still show in her eyes how responsible she was for this. "What do you want to do?" Lightning asked, struggling to keep her voice from shaking.

"I don't know," Jihl admitted, squeezing her back. "Mums come to mind rather fast."

"You want to me to tell them?" Lightning offered, sincerely affected.

"Kinda want to crawl into their arms and die," Jihl released a breath, "But that's a good second option."

"Jihl," Lightning touched her cheek, summoning Jihl's eyes her to her. No matter what she said, Lightning had done this and she knew that, but her guilt wasn't what Jihl needed right now. Jihl needed her strength. "I'm going to pull you through this no matter what."

Jihl actually smiled a little, even with the wary, tentative edge. "I hope so."

"Get dressed," Lightning nodded, "We'll go see your mothers and tell them."

"Light," Jihl added as she pulled away with Lightning going for clothes. She nodded to the dresser. "You can finish your soup first."


	28. Chapter 28

"Jihl…" Jeanne cradled her baby to her chest, "Oh, Jihl."

Lightning avoided eyes with her parents. Everyone in this room knew where the fault really belonged, and she couldn't meet their eyes for it, but Lightning said what had to be voiced for Jihl and her mothers to hear. "It sounds cheap now, but Jihl and I had just agreed to stop seeing Fang. We weren't… ready or good for a baby. Then we put it together this morning."

It felt like lava boiled under her feet, Lightning was so crushed to tell them. It wasn't a happy scene. Jeanne was nearly in tears and Lightning knew exactly why now. Cereza faired little better, but probably felt just as bad as her wife, sitting next to her on the bed with an arm around Jeanne. Lightning stood alone against their family, rightfully so. She felt like she'd betrayed them all collectively.

"We both did it," Jihl said from the comfort of Jeanne's arms, perhaps feeling too coddled with Lightning hot on the grill in front of them. "I liked having sex with Fang too."

Lightning winced at the wording. 'Liked it' would only hurt Jeanne more, even if it was true. Jihl hadn't shared the deep guilt Lightning had over Fang, but it wasn't what her mother needed to hear in this delicate time. And sure enough, Cereza's brow fixed tightly at the sound of it.

"Lightning, please," Cereza asked, tapping the bed. "Sit." Lightning obeyed unquestioningly, though she sat a few inches apart from Cereza, undeserving. "We're going to help you both through this." Cereza told them, sounding strained. "You don't have to take this on yourselves. Pregnancy's a big thing, and we're both here for you every step of the way."

"Mums…" Jihl voiced quietly. "I didn't want to hurt you like this. I'm really sorry."

"We know, Jihl." Jeanne couldn't stop squeezing her. "We know." Lightning bit her tongue to keep from joining in the apology. She didn't deserve even the words of remorse to them. She'd impregnated their daughter through rape.

Jeanne rested her head against Jihl's, then quietly requested. "Lightning; can you give us a few moments with our daughter, please?" Lightning stood immediately.

"I'll take her," Cereza volunteered, offering Lightning a kindness she didn't deserve instead of staying out there alone.

"You don't have to," Lightning countered it, "It's okay. I can wait outside alone."

Cereza seemed uncertain whether to let her stay there alone or not, but Jeanne just breathed. "Thank you, Lightning." And decided for them. Lightning took her leave nervously and closed the door behind her, cutting off sound completely. Sliding down against the wall, Lightning held her face and breathed.

**XXX**

"Mum…" Jihl voiced uncertainly, not sure what to say with Lightning gone from the room now. Jeanne had lifted her head with a stressed poise she hadn't had before. Jihl had seen her mother like this on few enough occasions already; when she told them not to sleep with Fang, when she addressed the Umbra in the council before, it was her mask over the pain and Jihl's strong side of Jeanne. It made her nervous.

"I need to know, Jihl." Jeanne said with her tone, and Jihl reckoned it was time to slide off her mother's lap. But Jeanne looked down at her seriously, importantly before she really could. "Sleeping with Fang, you enjoyed it? You're not just covering up for Lightning?"

Jihl caught in her mothers' steely eyes suddenly felt little and smaller. "I did…"

Jeanne still sounded strained. "I know you never wanted a baby, Jihl," her mother detected accurately, "That Lightning did, and you went along with it for her, but… enjoying it tells me it wasn't just for Lightning."

Jihl slid from her lap, bowing her head from the look in her mother's eyes. "I'm sorry."

Jeanne stood, hand to her aching head. "I know, Jihl, but consequences come from our actions. You knew Fang was Ragnarok, and that she's been used to give children for years. Lightning wanting a child doesn't okay what either of you did to her; nothing should okay that kind of extreme."

Jihl's head hurt. She had enjoyed Fang right in the midst of Lightning's heavy guilt, but she'd been too preoccupied with her girlfriend to worry much about Fang. She still was. Fang hadn't really occurred to her a bit since Lightning said they were done having sex with her, not even when they'd figured the pregnancy. But, technically, it was Fang's baby she might be holding. Not Lightning's, Fang's… it sent a little shiver through her to think of it that way. "Mother… I don't know what to do."

"We're going to help you with that," Cereza answered when Jeanne seemed too stressed to. "We just want you to realize the gravity of this, Jihl. Have you and Lightning even considered yet what you might say to Fang?"

"She probably has," Jihl mumbled, her thoughts on it haven't extended that far about it.

Cereza glanced at Jeanne. "It's something you should try to figure, Jihl. Fang lives with us; she's a human being. Jeanne and I aren't the best examples when it comes to this, but we've never slept with Fang out of a desire to, or because it pleasured us to do so. We're not… condemning your reasons as any worse than ours, Jihl. But we've made the best of exceptions we can manage with Fang concerning Rhea. It may be something you should consider… "

"You want me to talk to her about it?" Jihl asked, stomach feeling even queasier at that. What an awkward conversation that would make.

"We can't tell you what to do, Jihl," Cereza cautioned, "And this is still a very early stage. You should be sure about the pregnancy before deciding anything, but… we'll know that well enough within the next few weeks, if you're far enough along."

"We will?" Jihl questioned, confused by that statement. "I mean, Lightning and I think it's true, but… I don't menstruate regularly or anything. How are we going to know?"

Cereza glanced at Jeanne, who answered with a breath. "Fang's Ragnarok, Jihl. Rather quickly, all of us are going to be able to sense the power growing within you, and you're not going to be allowed to use magic anymore."

"What?" Jihl snapped to attention especially at that last bit. "Why not?"

"It endangers the baby." Jeanne said simply. "Drawing on your magic inadvertently draws from the child's growing power as well. You'd hurt your child that way."

Jihl settled to the bed with an unhappy face, looking at the long strands she'd worked hard to weave through little piercings this morning and had accomplished, not as neatly as her mothers, but was proud of. "Even my hair?"

Cereza actually smiled a very little. "I hated that too."

"You're as bad as Cereza, I swear," Jeanne breathed. "Jihl... you know how much you mean to us, don't you?"

"I know," Jihl affirmed, meaning it because she felt it from her mothers every day.

"We're not trying to be harsh about your pregnancy. We just want you to understand the consequences and help you with them."

"Mums…" Jihl bit the inside of her lip, "Lightning and I are… ill-equipped for a child. We haven't even seen what raising a normal family is like, and haven't even thought about raising one. We always figured, with Cocoon, that we'd snuff the kid if we birthed a girl… rather than let her grow up like we did."

"Jihl," Jeanne breathed unevenly, and Cereza wrapped an arm around her.

"It's okay, Mums. We don't live there anymore, and Lightning's really starting to adopt here. It's just that, I'm not really going to know what to do, and Light's not going to either, but… if I… have a baby… I'd want her like Rhea. I'd…" Jihl shifted her shoulders uncomfortably. "I'd want to raise her the same way you did Rhea. If you can... show us how to do that."

"Jihl," Jeanne bowed in to hug her, "We're your parents. That's why we're here; to help you with these things." Jihl basked in the dual-hug she was getting, much more comfortable with this kind of affection from her parents over their stern parenting.

"We love you," Cereza added in hugging her.

"I love you too, Mums," Jihl told them and meant it.

**XXX**

"You're making me nervous."

"Sorry," Lightning apologized, eyes returning to the bowl in front of her on the bed that was hers to eat from. "I've never seen you eat as much as me."

"I better not end up eating like you." Jihl warned, "You've practically live in the kitchen." Lightning made a face, but didn't protest the true claim. Jihl glanced down at her belly. "Sure feels like it though… at most, I can be what, four weeks along?" Jihl reached down touched her bare stomach. "It's inheriting a Yun appetite already."

"Yun appetite…" Lightning mumbled, thinking to herself.

"You see how much Fang eats, don't you? It's like twice what you do."

Their door creaked, followed by a short knocking before Fang showed up in the doorway, then looked away at Jihl's nakedness on the bed. "Lightning, Jihl…"

Because Jihl made no effort to, Lightning pulled up the blanket and tossed it over her. "Fang? Is something wrong?"

"No," Fang answered simply, "Cereza asked me to tell you; I'm going out to Gran Pulse with a few of the Umbra, and she wanted to know if you'd like to come too."

"Gran Pulse outside of Paradiso?" Jihl asked in interest.

"Yeah. We'll be escorted wherever we go, and no cities, but if you want a breath of air outside of this place…"

Lightning checked Jihl, who seemed quite happy with the idea. "Okay," Lightning agreed, "Give us a few moments to get dressed?"

"If you have weapons, bring them. I'll be right outside," Fang confirmed, shutting the door behind her.

"Sounds like an adventure." Jihl claimed with a light in her eyes as she started expanding and weaving her hair through again.

"Aren't you supposed to stop magic?" Lightning asked with a worrisome glance.

"When Ragnarok's powers blossom in me, yes." Jihl sighed, "I have a little time till that. Hopefully." She pet her hair over her chest longingly, sad. "I'll miss it dearly when it happens."

"You've gotten attached fast."

"It's okay," Jihl passed off as she fidgeted with the last bits and ended up fingering them through. "You'll just have to grow yours for me."

"Maybe I will."

"You tease!" Jihl cried, "Mean. You're getting me all hot again before we even go on our venture."

Lightning's lips quirked in smile, it was too rare that she got to tease. "Maybe I meant it." Jihl squawked in protest to Lightning's laugh. "Come on."

"You're going to get it later, you know."

"I usually like it when you say that."

"Lightning!"

Lightning grabbed her gunblade and went to the door, seeing Jihl by the Rose boxes indecisively. "Take the shotguns," Lightning advised, "Too much walking for heels." Pulling up after her, she joined Lightning at the door by Fang. "You ready?" Fang asked politely as Jihl pulled up behind her, which made Lightning glance back.

"Who's coming with us?" Jihl asked, not seeming to share her tension. They'd both agreed with Jihl's mothers that they wouldn't say anything until they knew for sure, but Lightning couldn't stop the feeling like she was hiding something from Fang. Worse yet with the conversation they'd shared this morning.

Jihl didn't seem to mind.

"Nerites, Selene, and Ariadne."

"Ariadne!" Jihl called out in delight, "That's perfect."

"Quite a heavy guard," Lightning speculated. Three full-blood Umbra, surely that was an over

"They're for me," Fang explained simply, "Usually I only have two; even one Umbra could subdue me in an instant with Witch Time, but Cereza asked Araidne especially because she thought you might come too."

"I see." Lightning murmured, wondering at how Fang had phrased it. Had Umbra had to subdue her before on outings like this? "Where are we going?"

Fang shrugged. "Probably Neradas Valley. It's quiet, nearby, and doesn't get big fiend action. They'd want to be extra careful with both of you coming along."

"It sounds pleasant."

"Little sightseeing in Gran Pulse isn't."

"Ariadne," Jihl called out in delight upon seeing the wine-colored Umbra, and hugged her upon it. Ariadne looked well, Lightning noted, hair spilling and connecting into her full outfit at the shoulders, a skintight one woven seamlessly over her tall, lithe form

"Jihl," Ariadne greeted, squeezing back thankfully. "You're wearing your hair!"

Jihl cracked an easy grin, blonde strands covering her body neatly. It wasn't so well done as Araidne's where her hair seemed like leather, but the sight of it seemed to make the Umbra so proud. "Lightning and Mums gave me them for my birthday," Jihl claimed, equally as proud.

"And these are your Roses?" Ariadne asked, taking one from her hand to admire in fully.

"Also presents," Jihl confirmed with a smile, "And the heels."

"You've done beautifully," Ariadne complimented, "Especially with your hair, Jihl. It's very flattering on you."

"Thank you," Jihl grinned.

"Here, sweetie," Ariadne offered, hooking the back of Jihl's guns to the single piercing on the outside of her wrists, just above it. "So you don't have to carry them." She explained, "Most of us weave little holsters for them with our hair, or add belts to keep them in," she indicated her hips where two handles, barely seen, protruding from some slips of her hair that's been seamlessly woven over the weapons.

"Ooh," Jihl cooed in intense interest, making Ariadne smile all the more.

"I'll show you how when we get out there," she offered kindly.

One of the two other Umbra behind her made a noise in her throat, reminding. "Is Ragnarok ready?" Lightning checked to see a completely black colored Umbra with long, falling hair that ran to her knees, blacker even than Cereza's, it seemed to swallow light itself, and so straight and pristine.

"I'm ready," Fang alerted from her side, ever respectfully.

Ariadne stepped aside to reveal the other Umbra as well, an ash-blonde woman with a tone darker than Jihl's, beautiful hair wavy until it hit her body suit, which made quite a contrast Lightning had yet to see. "Jihl, Lightning, this is Nerites," she gestured to the black one after, "And Selene."

"Girls," Selene addressed, then glanced at Fang. "Ragnarok. Come along." Nerites stepped in silently after Fang, and it was only then that Lightning saw she had a long, braid-woven spear with her that rivaled her height, only falling short by a small foot about.

"We'll be walking there," Ariadne told them, "It's not far. We've decided upon the Neradas Valley today with you two along. It's quieter of fiends, but beautiful to visit. Sorry we could not decide on anywhere grander for you, Fang."

Fang glanced at her, "It's no problem. I understand."

"Perhaps you may catch a stray behemoth to bring back."

"I hope so." Fang agreed, then unexpectedly asked. "How is Madam Thalia doing?"

Lightning quirked an eyebrow. The question being completely unnecessary, it wasn't like Fang to make small talk. Perhaps this was something Araidne liked to try to soften raping Fang, but if she and Jeanne were any indictors, it wasn't something Fang enjoyed, much less would instigate. She glanced to the other Umbra to check. Nerites completely ignored them, and Selene only glanced scathingly their way, as if it were a disapproving thing to engage Fang in such a way.

"She fares very well," Araidne answered agreeably, not seeming to care of her sisters' distaste. They carried on through the gardens of Paradiso to the carved stairway and extended balcony off the cliff. "We've actually started considering seeking out Adelaide's father to try again."

"Really?" Fang asked in startled surprise, which Lightning shared.

"Maybe," Araidne allowed as they started down the massive stairs, "But she's almost certainly mated by now. It's been fifty years."

"Fifty years?" Lightning blurted, unable to contain the outburst of startled surprise. Her daughter must've been twenty-eight when taken, added to the twenty-two years Lightning and Jihl had spent in Cocoon, but the Yun… if they'd been twenty by the time Ariadne and Thalia first shared her, that'd put her at seventy by now. Older yet for how long it must've taken to get pregnant with the Yun. Lightning had a terrible image now stuck with her of Thalia and Ariadne picking out a very old and weathered Yun to rape.

Araidne glanced back at her in the stairwell with a faint smile. "Don't look so troubled, Lightning. Yuns hold longer lifespans than what you're used to. We played a bit of favoritism when creating them; along with long lifespans and excellent hunting sense, we gave them strength greater than man as well. The enhancing of their senses came only after we descended to Cocoon, but they were always our prized, Amazonian huntresses. A female Yun spends her average fertile life up to ninety, about middle age. We reckon around the same with all the Yuns. They'll make it to around 150 before age starts to grip them and their senses. Most Yuns don't make it so far because of their nature, but we've seen a few up to 180 years."

Lightning took that all in with a long stare in processing.

"Does she still live?" Fang asked, referring to Yun in question Araidne had spoken of. They came out at the base of the Cliffside, mountainous pillars half-circling them in the dark. Umbra heels clicked on stone as they carried on. Jihl gripped her hand and commented quietly.

"We hold our age well."

Lightning looked at her in complete surprise, the comment reminding Lightning of earlier in their bedroom. It was a conversation for later they'd have.

"We think so, yes." Ariadne replied to Fang, "When we first lost Adelaide, she promised us we could ask of her again, even if mated by the time we were ready, that she'd talk it over with her spouse." Fang nodded, "But…" Ariadne added. "Times are not… as they were back then. We'd hesitate to ask of her, if she could be found."

"She wouldn't say no, Ariadne." Selene contributed with a flecking glance.

"That's why we wouldn't ask." Ariadne sighed, cast a dismissive look from her sister.

Lightning's eyes flicked to the woman uneasily. She moved in closer to Jihl.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Fang said, sounding genuine, which surprised Lightning again.

"Me too," Ariadne agreed somberly.


	29. Chapter 29

They continued to the right of the grand Umbra entrance for just a little ways before coming to the end of the cliff, which they followed around until the land opened up wider. Passing through a small passageway, they came upon a dipping, grassy valley with mountains back in the distance, but green pastures and flowers covered the ground level with a long, streaming river that dropped into a lake in the deepest dip. Small pockets of fiends romped playfully around the grass. Like all of Gran Pulse, the sight was majestic and enough to take anyone's breath away.

"I love this place," Jihl voiced, and Lightning couldn't have said it better.

Fang looked at Nerites, the one holding her spear. "May I?"

Nerites pulled the tool from where she'd strapped it to her back and handed it silently over to Fang.

"Don't stab yourself." Selene warned, and Lightning thought it rather harsh. Fang simply nodded and went for the biggest beast she could find.

Ariadne sighed and watched Fang skillfully engage her first prey. "She belongs out here," she sighed, watching Fang.

Selene glanced at her with black eyes, barely containing her disdain. "She belongs locked away. This is only a tease. Your heart is too soft concerning Ragnarok, Ariadne."

"Matter of opinion." Ariadne dismissed.

"Matter of fact if you don't want to end up like Raina," Selene corrected, casting a sidelong glance to Lightning that chilled her immensely.

"I'm going to the river," Nerites interjected passively, leaving her two sisters to it.

"Come, girls," Ariadne encouraged, "We'll pick some herbs and I'll show you our garden differences." Though Jihl 'mmm'ed at the sound of herbs and picking things, Lightning vastly preferred watching or participating with Fang.

"And I'll watch Ragnarok as we're supposed to," Selene added with a thin-lipped scowling.

"Uhm," Lightning interjected before everyone could part their ways. She didn't relish staying with Selene, but it'd probably be nicer for Fang if the Umbra wasn't the only one near anyway. "Can I watch Fang too?" Selene gave her an eyebrow that made Lightning feel very small and Ariadne hesitated. "Please." Lightning asked, much preferring it to this.

Though she clearly didn't want to, Ariadne had no real reason to deny it from her, and so access was granted to Lightning to go with Selene. "Be careful," Ariadne warned with a worried expression.

"Come, child," Selene issued her way, guiding Lightning along closer to Fang. "Sit," she ordered when they hit a base on the grassy plain far enough away. Lightning did so at her bidding, eyes on the intricate weave of movement from Fang in the fight. By the looks of it, she could've had the beast in seconds, but she prolonged the engagement, dodging and blocking more than she struck at it. The way she moved like art in a painting caught Lightning so intensely, she barely could look away.

Fang was a skilled fighter, and this, Lightning hadn't seen.

"You are not like your mother, are you, child?" Lightning started at the unexpected conversation and turned her eyes away.

"I… I don't know." Lightning stuttered truthfully, gathering herself for Selene to speak her way.

Selene gazed at her from her peripherals, then nodded to Fang. "I see your interest in the beast. Raina never had that sense."

"No…?" Lightning asked, not sure what else she should say or even what Selene meant entirely.

"No." Selene confirmed absolutely, "Raina had no understanding of the way of things, too busy trying to degrade herself to the mortals' level to grasp our elevation over them. It happens sometimes, when we as creators become too attached to what we've made." Selene shook her head, gazing out over Fang. Lightning stayed rightly quiet, aware of every glimpse Selene cast her way.

"Yeah…" Lightning agreed uneasily, not sure what was expected, considering she was one of those mortals Selene so casually disregarded.

"You needn't be ashamed of your human blood, Lightning. Sacrifices, like dirtying the bloodline, must be made. It is something Jeanne understands well more than any of us, but you are still of our kind. And you better yourself in behaving like it." Selene nodded to Fang again in indication. "I see the lust in you as you gaze upon Ragnarok. How fares your experience with the beast?"

"I… " Lightning didn't know if it'd be safe to say otherwise. She'd stopped sleeping with Fang, but Selene felt especially dangerous if she heard about such a thing. "It's good," Lightning lied, covering those tracks out of fear more than anything. "Fang's been good."

Selene smiled a bit, seeming more than satisfied with the shy lie. "I should hope so. You've earned the submissive pleaser after the brute force of man," Lightning bit her tongue. Selene leaned back against the slope of the hill behind them. "Your desire for her is encouraging, Lightning. It will serve you rightly through the years of impregnation with Fang." Selene sighed fully. "It's only a shame she isn't more preserved with her youthful, prettier face."

Lightning thought Fang gorgeous, but proceeded with tentative caution. "You mean her scars?"

"Yes," Selene sighed, seeming aggravated, "Those. Excellent sex is dampened at the sight of those ugly things. It's a real shame Umbra healing magic doesn't work on the Ragnarok. We could rid them straightaway."

Lightning bit her inner lip harder. Fang had told them some of the Umbra preferred her to wear her shirt, but the callous in which Selene referred to her felt so demeaning. "Where did they come from?" she asked curiously, almost without meaning to. She cast a quick glance Fang's way and hoped she hadn't overstepped. Fang had never elaborated on the scars for private reason, and Lightning wished now she could take it back to keep from prying with this insensitive woman.

"Oh, a number of things," Selene revealed casually in her aggravation. "Roma thinks it cute to mark her up in sex, give the rest of us a pompous little power display." Selene almost spat, but dignity kept her from it. "The harpy. Now we all have to deal with them. She's as base as our savages to like her mark on Ragnarok." Lightning listened, rather surprised to hear of the obvious distaste to Roma. Selene seemed to share many of her views over Fang, and had voted along with Lightning in giving her that free choice, but she spoke better of Jeanne over Roma yet.

"Not all of them are from Roma, of course," Selene continued in settling down, "Some were accidents, bound to happen. Some from letting Ragnarok free like this," she gestured, "That mess on her chest might as well have been our fault. It was stupid to leave Fang close access to her weapon when we ordered her to upon her fellows."

"That didn't kill her?" Lightning asked, shocked, for she had seen the scarring as well, and it ran deep and overdone.

"Of course not," Selene frowned at her, "Ragnarok is invulnerable to any kind of mortal death, child. Did Jeanne not mention it?"

It made perfect sense. Fang hadn't gone through killing herself because she was unable to.

What a horrible, horrible life. She stood completely trapped, unable to do anything to break free of her position. Powers sealed with invulnerability and strength remaining, Fang was like a pet to the Umbra.

"No," Lightning breathed unevenly.

"Well, she is," Selene supplied in knowledge, "That put her out for a few weeks. Fang doesn't heal like us; it left her open for quite some time. None of us were happy with that. And then the day Fang was deemed well enough, the bloody woman chopped off her balls."

Lightning's eyes bugged. "She castrated herself?"

"Twice," Selene informed, "Once more after they regenerated after the month. You can still see the lines where she cut. She had quite a rebellious spirit when we told her to impregnate Yuns. It was admirable, I'll say. Admirable and extremely frustrating. We told her we wouldn't need her as much with other Ragnaroks of her blood, and when that didn't help, we beat her, but she was adamant. So adamant, we almost gave in. Then, Roma suggested we threaten her clan." Selene gave a little smile rather coldly. "It worked incredibly. Ragnarok begged us not to do anything by the very first Yun we threatened. We killed two as an example. She groveled for her servitude again by the third. We didn't have to kill any more after that."

Lightning swallowed, feeling cold. Selene glanced at her. "Not to your taste? It was rather vulgar, and the first time we'd used force on our creation, but rulers' have decisions to make. It's not easy to lead a world, Lightning."

"No…" Lightning echoed, feeling sick as she watched Fang truly come to life in this valley where she should've grown hunting with her people, not whipped as a slave. "I suppose not." It felt so similar to the turn of her own world, Lightning was sickened with it. Was there nowhere between both worlds where people didn't dominate each other with cruelty 'because need demanded it?' Her faith in all humanity rapidly fell like a heavy stone.

"The Yuns are our creation. They should've been happy to provide our generations, from the equipped or wholly female of their tribe." Selene shook her head, "One of them panicked about our intentions for her daughter, killed the baby, and started an uproar of fear amongst the Yuns. Then, the Yuns distrusted us." Selene laughed shortly, but it held no humor, only score. "Distrusted _us_, their creators. After all we'd done for them. The child would've been raised with her sisters like princesses, blessed by the Umbra until she came of age with the others to do a little service that she would've enjoyed. It was to be an honor to be chosen for Ragnarok. They made it into a punishment." Selene almost huffed in a very dignified manner, "Foolish ingrates."

As Lightning stared on in rising horror, Fang slayed the behemoth she'd been toying with and glanced back. Those eyes had heard everything, and Lightning just wanted to die.

**XXX**

"And when she didn't die from it, she chopped her balls off instead."

"Ohh…" Jihl reached between her legs in sympathetic pain, "Ow." Jihl's eyebrows drew then in befuddlement. "They grew back?"

"Twice."

Jihl winced, petting her fully in-tact sex once. "That sounds unpleasant."

"I don't know what to do. How does someone heal from that?" Jihl didn't know either. Fang sounded pretty fucked in the head. Jihl didn't know a single man who would ever mutilate himself in such a way, and Fang didn't even heal fast… ouch. Lightning sighed, guilty as ever, but seemingly handling it better than before, at least. "I wish we could talk to Sage about it."

Or not.

"We can't," Jihl filled in quickly, beating that option back quickly. "You know his plan for our kids; he might even be able to sense I have one already, and he'd go crazy to pull us back to Cocoon. I'm not taking a child back there."

"I wouldn't." Lightning promised with pleading eyes, "I wouldn't put you at risk like that."

"I hope not," Jihl said, still tentative about Lightning's love for Sage. It would fall away eventually… hopefully, but until then, she only had to keep Lightning away from contacting him again, even if that meant using her guilt to stop her. Fang's situation sounded more dire than she'd given credit for, granted, but she didn't like anything that might lead Lightning back to him. "You said Fang heard?" Jihl asked, not really needing to hear again, but wanting Lightning's thoughts away from Sage.

"I think so," Lightning confessed, "When she looked at me… you could just see it that she'd heard."

"You didn't mention the pregnancy, did you?"

"No," Lightning shivered, "Gods, no. Selene would've jumped you on the spot if I had."

"So, Fang doesn't know about it yet," Jihl detected from it, "Maybe we should tell her about it." Lightning's eyes flicked up in utter surprise. Jihl winced again, "Don't get me wrong, Light. We're going to parent this baby with my mothers. Fang would be like she is with Rhea, and I wouldn't mind that." Jihl lifted a hand to Lightning's cheek. "Just… realistically speaking, I don't know how much we can do for Fang otherwise. But she loves Rhea to pieces, so… maybe it'd help a little if she knew she could be that way with the child I'm going to have."

"You want to let her be involved."

"Sure," Jihl confirmed, "She's good with Rhea anyway, and it seems to make her happier to be around her. Maybe that can be our small way of helping Fang."

Lightning tried to read her, then asked tentatively. "You don't just want to do this for me, do you?"

"Partly," Jihl confessed honestly, "But I really don't mind it as long as she knows we're her mothers. And with the Yuns… it's big of Fang to hurt herself before hurting another woman."

"Huge," Lightning agreed.

"Can you even imagine a man doing that?" Jihl agreeingly stated, "Cutting himself instead of hurting one of us. I'd never dream of the day."

"Fang's a good person," Lightning claimed. "…I wish we hadn't raped her."

Jihl lovingly stroked her cheek. It wasn't something Lightning would likely let go. "You were still trying to help." She insisted, though Lightning's eyes betrayed her guilt undiminished. "And maybe we'll be able to do this for Fang. You know she'll like it."

"Will you?" Lightning asked quietly, eyes casting into her own with that heavily-held responsibility. "I don't want to make you do anything else that you don't want to." She saw her eyes refocus down on her stomach, then gaze back up at her again. "Not ever again."

"You aren't, Light," Jihl said, meaning she would turn the world for her. Whatever Lightning wanted, or had been deluded into wanting, or anything she might desire, Jihl would drop all to help her. It was that simple, even if Lightning thought otherwise or hesitated. She could ask Jihl anything and it'd be hers.

Lightning scooted in closer and laid a hand on Jihl's hip. "Tell me whenever you need anything."

Jihl smiled into her earnest eyes, still guilty, but trying so hard to be her rock, which Jihl would need in coming days. Stroking down that perfect cheek, Jihl leaned in for a kiss. "I need something."

"What?" Lightning asked when her lips finally left again. "Anything, Jihl. Tell me anything."

**XXX**

Lying flat on the mattress with her fingers clasped in Jihl's, Lightning bit her lip nervously. She gazed down Jihl's smooth, perfect back before her, only marring existing in the mark that'd been burned into her skin a long time before this. The little Umbrella-shaped fan top had been a painful gift from the Sage. Lightning had been small when it'd been first placed; she couldn't picture Jihl without it, it was so indented. "Are you sure?" Lightning asked tentatively, squeezing Jihl's hand. There'd be no going back from this. They weren't leaving Gran Pulse again, and Jihl was ridding the last physical reminder they had of Cocoon and Sage.

"I'm sure," Jihl nodded with a patient smile, eyes alight on Lightning. "I want to start my new life with you; I don't need any reminder of the place we left. I'm happy with just you, Light."

Lightning bit her tongue harder, squirmy and nervous inside. She wasn't— she didn't know that she _wanted_ to give up her mark of Sage. He'd been a father to them through everything, there at every corner to help. Besides Jihl, he'd been the only good thing that existed in Cocoon, and he'd shared his comfort with them on so many occasions…

"Lightning," Lightning's eyes darted up to take in Cereza who'd spoken and Jeanne who knelt at the side of the bed, ready to cure them from it completely. "You don't have to if you don't want it." Lightning lowered her eyes. Jihl wanted it, but she… she'd never made the same connection with Sage as Lightning, and Lightning felt bad about it. She felt awful. Jihl wanted to move forward with her, but Sage was a memory Lightning wanted to keep. "Or," Cereza added, "If you're not ready for it, we can wait. Raina will be coming soon; perhaps you'd be more comfortable receiving the healing from her."

Jihl squeezed her hand, and when Lightning looked into her face, her eyes were a little sad. "I don't want to make you either, Light." She tried to smile, but Lightning could see it was a bit sad. "If you want to hold onto him, you can."

The words brought such relief and guilt at once. Lightning desperately wanted that, but she didn't want to disappoint Jihl either. "You can still take yours off if you want," Lightning offered, trying to be forthcoming and understanding. "I'm not upset if you do."

A bit of light returned to shine in her pretty eyes. Jihl squeezed her hand in a gentle manner and smiled. "I love you, Lightning."

"I love you too, Jihl." Lightning promised and meant every word of it.

"Are you ready?" Cereza asked gently, and when Jihl confirmed, both mothers reached over the brand on her shoulder. A light, green glow lit up from beneath their fingers over her back. Jihl fidgeted and squeezed again.

"Does it hurt?" Lightning asked, worried for her.

"Tickles," Jihl corrected, and in another few seconds, their hands parted, leaving their daughter's flesh whole and smooth. "How's it look?" Jihl asked, and Lightning lifted a finger to the skin, not even a bump or discoloration left over. She smoothed her finger over the spot.

"It's perfect," Lightning said because Jihl's back was flawless like that, "You're beautiful, Jihl." With no heed to her parents in the room, Jihl leaned over and kissed her. Lightning tasted heaven and stroked over her smooth back.

"Thank you," Jihl breathed, leaving on one last, chaste press, then turned to take in her mothers with a smile, "Thanks for healing me, Mums."


	30. Chapter 30

Jihl woke to find Lightning dead asleep beside her, which was most troubling because her stomach rumbled like a beast, as loud and obnoxious as Lightning's sometimes was. Jihl debated her options, the inside spoon of the two, and debated the idea of waking Lightning too.

She decided against it. Much as she would've liked her girl to fetch them both something to eat again, Lightning had serviced her food for the past few days straight without break or relief. Jihl could get them food today, and have it ready for Lightning by the time she woke. Jihl knew her girlfriend would eat it. Lightning was always hungry.

Skillfully wiggling out from under her arm without disturbing her sleeping beauty, Jihl subdued a groan with her first stand and moved her hand to the dresser to war off a spell of dizziness that unexpectedly caught her off-guard. She'd just slept, but she felt so tired and sleepy. Jihl gave it a full minute to wear off. The dizziness died down, but the sleepiness took more time than that. Food would help, maybe. Jihl started downstairs to find something to eat. When she reached the kitchen, she hesitated. Lightning would've like something meaty.

Re-directing, Jihl started out to the back ice house, where she unsurprisingly found Fang. Of course Fang was there, she ate like a beast too. Jihl saw the beast she'd slain yesterday; a gigantic Behemoth King that'd she merely had picked up and dragged home over her shoulder yesterday, as if she had Umbra strength too. The Umbra hadn't allowed Fang to drag the dead, bleeding thing up their great stairway or across their beautiful lands, so Fang had been forced to hide the dead beast from critters and wait for nightfall and Cereza to Witch Walk up their cliff with it.

It seemed she had it now, laid out in their backyard, and she cut into it carefully. Jihl watched from a little ways, never having witnessed such a thing. Fang cut up the leg carefully, then pushed the beast effortlessly to its back. Though it weighed far more than Fang even would, she didn't seem to have any problem with this. "Morning, Jihl." Fang greeted without looking her way. "There's still meat in the ice house if you're looking for it."

"What are you doing?" Jihl asked curiously as Fang inserted her knife at the beast's side where a long cut had been sliced up the hind leg to meet the point.

"I'm skinning it." Fang answered simply, cutting a long, careful swath from hind joint across its side. Jihl winced as the skin split, expecting blood, but none came.

"No blood?"

"I already drained it yesterday." Fang turned the head slightly, revealing the base of the neck that'd been crushed and emptied.

"Wow," Jihl spoke in fascination. Over the years, any squeamishness she might've had had been drilled out of her by the men and the chores she took up in caring after them, but she'd never seen anything quite like this before. "Why'd you pick the neck to bleed it?"

Fang glanced back at her with a half frown. "The neck has two arteries that run into the base of the skull; you get the most blood out, and it doesn't damage the important part of the hide." Jihl leaned over for a full view of the process. Where Fang had split the skin down the side, raw, pink meat lay exposed from the cut like it was bulging. "You've never skinned a beast?" Fang finally asked, then turned away as she realized. "I guess the men did that…"

Jihl snorted. "Discounting the men, we have no beasts in Cocoon."

Fang's brown intensely furrowed. "What?"

Jihl knelt beside Fang and the beast. "Fal'Cie provided our food, and it came skinned already."

"It came skinned?" Fang asked incredulously.

"Lightning and I supposed they were some form of animal, but we'd never really seen creatures like this before Gran Pulse. And never this big. Just normal things… like cats. Small cats, not like the ones here." Fang stared at her like she was from another planet, which she had been, actually. "Can you show me?" Jihl asked, glancing back to Fang.

"You want to watch?" Fang asked in utter astonishment. "It's not a pretty thing."

"I don't mind," Jihl assured, "Lightning and I have handled raw meat before. I've just never seen it whole and freshly slain."

"Okay…" Fang started warily, "If you have to stop watching… I don't want to make you sick."

"I'll be okay."

"Okay," Fang began, revealing the deep slit at the base of the neck again. "Yesterday, I drained it from here. Some people like to use the blood in soups or sauces…"

"Ew."

"But I'm not a fan of it." Fang gave her a sideline look.

"What?" Jihl asked, then insisted, "I'm fine!"

Fang shook her head, looking back to the animal. "Anyway, you want to clean and chill it afterwards, so I wiped it down and left it in the ice house twelve hours overnight to cool."

"Mhmm," Jihl observed, studying the process of it.

"I've already removed the Waifers and other components this morning."

"Waifers?" Jihl paused her.

"The things coming out of its head," Fang explained, "The long flaps. Behemoth Kings have a variety of components you can pick off the hide and use. Some of them even swallow things they'll never digest. You can pull other components out of the stomach when you cut in."

"I know that," Jihl added, "Lightning and I find little trinkets sometimes."

"Yeah, well they also exist in their coats sometimes. Or their claws." Fang picked up a paw that was easily the size of her head. She parted the fingers where a claw would've existed there. "I've taken them out. Did yours… have claws?"

"No," Jihl shook her head, measuring those fingers there, then glanced at the mouth where some teeth protruded. "Can I see it?"

Fang rummaged through a knife box at her side and pulled out a small bottom drawer that'd been filled with small components, including ten large, sharp claw pieces. She handed one to Jihl, who took it and measured it almost four inches against her fingers, even curved. "Wow," Jihl admired, running her finger over the sharp tip. "That'll kill you right quick."

"It will," Fang agreed more seriously, taking the hard little claw back. "You have to be careful with Gran Pulse fiends. Many will attack you on sight as a source of food, and they can kill you easily if you're not correctly trained to fight back. You and Lightning won't have much to worry about when you master Witch Time and your strength. Both sort of give you an unbeatable edge in fights."

"You didn't seem to have a problem fighting the other day either," Jihl pointed out.

"I'm strong too," Fang said, and sounded a little bitter about it. "And I grew up here. Gives me a little more edge when I know what I'm doing."

Jihl let the bitter comment pass unfazed, After what Fang had gone through, she had a right to be bitter about sharing traits with her Umbra captors. Jihl couldn't change that, so she just redirected Fang's attention again. "So, what do we do here?"

Fang glanced back at the beast with giant , bulging arms and the slit made across its side. "I have to work off the skin now," she picked up another knife, this one smooth and unjagged. "Feel free not to watch," she offered again, then slid the knife into the cut she'd made and worked it under the skin. It was disgusting and fascinating both, and Jihl didn't look away, but winced a few times as Fang weaseled the knife under skin and over, being very careful not too cut too hard and come through it as she worked.

The beast was huge, easily the same size of Fang's height abreast as she was tall, and the skin work seemed very tentative. Fang worked from a deep slit she'd made across the neck as well as the side cut, severing the knife across its long body and pulling up great flaps of skin as she loosened them from the animal.

"Wow," Jihl breathed, the process of each newly-freed skin across its chest invigorating to see. "Lightning would love this." Fang glanced at her with an eyebrow as she worked over the giant hide, "Oh, don't give me that," Jihl admonished, "It's probably her Yun half that makes her so interested in meat anyway."

That paused Fang. "You think Lightning's father is a Yun."

"Should I not?"

"No. Excuse my mention; it's not my place."

"Fang…" Jihl gave her an inquisitive stare, "Tell me."

Fang obeyed as she returned to working, "I had not been given the inclination that she believes that, is all."

"Had you not?" Jihl tsked, "That's very… observative of you, Fang."

"It's just my estimation." Fang excused.

Jihl looked at her through narrowed eyes, trying to figure how Fang had determined that. She had never said the words verbally, but she supposed Fang may have put some clues together to figure it. Jihl wasn't always around when Lightning talked to her. Lightning had probably given her the idea sometime. "She's just confused. A bit manipulated," Jihl finally filled in for Lightning, "She'll come around eventually."

Fang didn't speak again, and it was aggravating. "You're allowed to have an opinion, Fang."

"I do have one."

"Then speak it."

Fang sighed in the midst of working. "My opinion is that you've obviously dealt better than Lightning has, and you're going to be just fine here."

Jihl frowned a little bit, then posed. "And what do you think of Lightning?"

"With you, she'll be fine. Better already, if she's got her head out of pregnancy. She'd feel too guilty if you'd gone through with that, and it would've lasted for life."

Jihl waited a moment, then when Fang seemed done, "Fang, I'm pregnant." Fang froze inconceivably fast, the knife at a complete stop under the skin of the belly.

"Oh." Was all she said.

"We found out yesterday morning, after she brought up soup. Things just added up: my appetite, nausea… Lightning says my boobs look different." Jihl supplied for Fang, "Mums aren't sure yet, but I'm pretty confident that I am." Fang stayed quiet a moment longer, still. "Thoughts, Fang?"

"You don't want her," Fang said, deathly quiet. "Do you?"

"It's not how I imagined we'd start into our new life, no." Jihl admitted freely, "But it's happening, and we'll just have to deal." Fang kept her head bowed, away from Jihl's scanning eyes. "I'm telling you because Lightning and I decided something about the baby. We want to raise her like Rhea, which includes you in her life to a degree."

Fang looked at her then, her eyes sickened, startled, and pained, so agonized in what she said, she couldn't even speak. "Is that something you would want, Fang? Answer truthfully."

Fang lowered her eyes to the beast. "…she won't know that I'm the father?"

"No…" Jihl eyed her tentatively, "But you'll get to spend time with her as the family friend."

"You won't tell her when she's older?" Fang asked, sounding small.

"I don't think so, no."

"Then I would like that, yes." Fang said unexpectedly, "Jihl," Fang caught her eye for it, within it shone the deepest gratitude and earnest, it tickled her heart in a way that wasn't quite comfortable to Jihl. "Thank you for letting me participate when she is born."

"Mhmm…" Jihl agreed, standing as Fang returned attention to the hide in front of her. "Fang," She hesitated, that prickle still uncomfortable in her chest, then finally added. "What you did for your fellow Yuns was decent, even if you don't think it. I'm sorry it worked out the way it did for you in the end." Fang didn't say anything, but Jihl thought she noticed a tightening in the Yun's jaw of unease. "Food will be in the kitchen when you're done here," Jihl remarked, saying all she'd thought important enough to say. "See you inside, Fang." Fang quiet behind her, Jihl went into the ice house and left the brooding Yun to herself once more.

**XXX**

"Thank you," Lightning thanked quietly, taking the two giant cuts of steak Fang had cooked before she'd even arrived there this night. "Wow, that's a lot of meat."

"One's for Jihl." Fang informed off-handedly. Both their plates had the enormous portions of steak with cabbage shreds piled in a stack next to the sweet potato on the plate. Jihl enjoyed both the side dishes very much, and Lightning had a feeling she already knew why Fang would go through the trouble of making all them for her.

"She'll like it, thank you." Lightning said again. Jihl was sleeping, but the smell of it might awaken her, and if not, she'd enjoy it the next morning with her growing appetite to feed the baby. They had already spoken, Jihl had told her, about Fang's involvement with the child. It might be why she'd been so much gentler today in everything she'd said and done, out of gratitude for the baby, which made Lightning even sadder in a way. Fang wouldn't have expected anything.

Fang's head picked up suddenly before Lightning could even move anywhere. "You hear that?" Lightning stiffened and listened with Fang, who perked like a dog, half standing in attention. At the tickling edges of Lightning's perception, she heard what sounded like a gentle scraping.

"What is it?"

"Someone's coming in the back," Fang grabbed up her steak knife as she moved quickly to the door. "Stay here," Fang hissed quietly, "If I don't call out after, Witch Time and run." Fang took off, Lightning eying her back incredulously.

"I won't just stand here and let you be butchered."

"I can't be killed, Lightning," Fang hissed, not urgently giving a little push to keep her back. "Just stay." Fang disappeared around the doorway bend before Lightning could say otherwise. Lightning hurried to the door again, fingers creaking into the frame as she listened to Fang's footsteps falling away.

Lightning grit her teeth and hesitated as the footsteps fell away. Her fingers pressed deeper into the stone until it cracked accidentally and chunked off.

Screw this. Fang didn't have Witch Time or match them in Umbra strength. Lightning clicked into the magical zone of Witch Time and took off after Fang.


	31. Chapter 31

Staying stealthy just in case, Lightning crept along silently until she hit the main, grandest hallway to the back. She could see Fang near there, almost frozen in a poise with her knife held ready. Behind the wall where Lightning couldn't see, an unexpected voice said, "Fang… oh, Fang."

Lightning froze. To be able to speak like that during Witch Time, the speaker had to be an Umbra, which didn't bode well for Lightning or Fang. In another second, something snapped, and the purplish warping around Lightning evaporated just like that. Fang let out a startled yelp and a hand covered over her mouth and face. "Shh," the woman said, other strong hand on Fang's knife-arm.

"Don't touch her!" Lightning shouted and raced towards the commotion again, instinctually clicking back into Witch Time as she jumped Fang's back and tumbled them both straight into the Umbra. Fang's knife hit the floor and skidded. Lightning climbed over her quickly, wincing as she started for the woman, then froze as a long, long leg with a pistol-strapped heel shoved into her stomach. The woman, standing over her in full height, pointed a Rose shotgun at her head.

"Don't be foolish, child." The long, long Umbra warned, flexing her foot in such a way that reinforced the gun in Lightning's stomach. "Witch Time doesn't help you with me."

She wasn't one Lightning remembered seeing in person before, but it may just have been the distortion of purplish Witch Time around them. With long, beautiful auburn tresses that fell over her shoulders in gorgeous, half-curved ringlets at the ends, she had the full body and height of an Umbra, and the intimidation of ten. Lightning looked at the foot at her stomach, strand of auburn hair on the trigger already. Her life could end in a second right here.

"You won't shoot," Lightning said, more brave than she felt in speaking it.

"Won't I?"

"Jeanne would kill you," Lightning claimed boldly, "And torture you worse if you hurt Fang."

A slender, delicate eyebrow lifted curiously in her skeptism. "You're too old to be Jeanne's. Too old to be any of ours. Unless Fang's age well. Who's are you, child?"

The question utterly confused her. Every Umbra knew who she was. Adrenaline pumping with Fang still slow behind her, Lightning ignored it and snapped, "What are you doing here?" She eyed the knife Fang had dropped out of her peripheral vision. No way would she make it before a bullet.

Not with her hands, at least.

The woman chuckled. "You're in an awfully precarious spot to be asking the questions, darling." Slowly, hidden behind her head, Lightning lengthened a small bundled threads of her hair. "Why don't you let me ask the questions, hmm? You're threatening me with Jeanne; is she here?"

The woman chuckled. "You're in an awfully precarious spot to be asking the questions, darling." Slowly, hidden behind her leg, Lightning extended a small bundled threads of her hair. "Why don't you let me ask the questions, hmm? You're threatening me with Jeanne; is she here?"

"No," Lightning lied through gritted teeth, headache growing at the concentration it was taking to extend such a long bundle of strands, but she had to make sure it'd reach far enough. Stupid hair being pink, the Umbra would see it quickly and attack. Lightning couldn't let her win; she had to buy time. "No one's here but me and Fang."

"_Tsk," _the Umbra clucked, "You're lying to me, child." Lightning heard a click and realized she'd just cocked the gun. A couple of strands looped around the trigger, not tight. Not yet. The woman glanced down the hall. "She's there in her bedroom, isn't she?"

Now! Lightning mentally commanded, shooting off the long, long strand for the knife while she'd temporarily looked away. The Umbra's eyes darted back at the first sign of movement, just as Lightning wrapped the strands around the hilt of the knife and reeled it back furiously. The woman stepped back, in surprise, maybe? It didn't matter. Lightning's grip firm on the knife with her hair still wrapped around it, she pushed off the ground with the speed she always possessed, and only came up to her chest, the woman stood so tall. She drove the dagger as hard as she could at the Umbra's chest.

The woman caught it with barely an effort and held her wrist in an immovable steel grip, blue eyes wide in surprise on the knife, like she never expected it to be there. Lightning gasped as the other arm came around her and shoved her up against those long legs and body. Her wrist twisted just so, painful enough that she dropped the knife in despair. Then, the Umbra's second hand wasn't on her wrist, but on the extended, pink strand of hair, eyes glued there as well until they moved to meet Lightning's. She seemed breathless. "Claire?"

"AGH, DON'T KILL HER!" Fang shouted, scrambling to find them as they came out of Witch Time again. Lightning looked at her, but the Umbra's eyes never left. "Raina, she's yours!"

Lightning's blood ran cold in an instant. She turned back to those blue eyes like the clearest waters, eyes that reflected her own. Her head started rushing all at once and Lightning felt dizzy to her core. "…Mom?"

Lightning unexpectedly squished to those breasts as the arms squeezed in around her, "Oh Gods," Raina lamented, silky against the feel of her hair. "Gods. You're alive. How are you alive?"

Fang sighed in relief. Raina hugged her a long, long moment after, whispering such things and stroking through her black hair as he held and squeezed Lightning until she felt a lack of air against her mother's breasts, then Raina finally pulled away. "You must tell me everything," Lightning had to lift her chin to see into Raina's face, who cupped her cheek like she was precious. "What happened?" Raina asked in earnest love. "You were dead."

Lightning didn't know what to say as she gazed into those eyes, so earnest and caring as Raina stroked her cheek with the tenderest of fingers, eyes of disbelief, love, and anguish.

Fang rubbed the back of her neck and spoke before Lightning could even think of words to say. "Maybe we should get Jeanne first."

"And Jihl," Lightning added when she could, wanting Jihl there with her during this.

"Jihl's alive too?" Raina asked in astonishment, recognizing the name immediately.

"I'll get Jihl," Fang sighed, "Jeanne's in there," Fang pointed down a hall and across the way, "Master bedroom on the far end of the right side."

"Claire," Claire. Was that her name? Raina started leading away with her. "You've grown up so beautiful… how could this have happened? Where have you been all these years?"

"Um," Lightning shuffled nervously along with her. "Cocoon had me."

"Cocoon!" Raina blurted in utter astonishment. "How in the world did you get there?" They reached Jeanne and Cereza's bedroom. Lightning shrugged nervously. "We'll talk about it with Jeanne," Raina promised, lifting her hand to the door and opening it. Some sort of gasping came from inside. Raina entered with nary a care, bringing Lightning, who's eyes popped with Cereza's moan.

Laid out over the bed, top half propped over a naked Jeanne sucking her breast, Cereza moaned with pleasure as she kneed Jeanne between the legs, head held high in complete happiness over the boob job from her wife. Lightning quickly looked away, flushing pink in embarrassment as Jeanne's suckling popped fondly enough for her to gasp. "Cereza."

"Other breast, other breast," Cereza begged in panting.

Lightning cringed as Raina pat her shoulder fondly. "We're interrupting, dear. We'll let them finish first."

Someone let out an unexpected gasp that drew the very corners of Lightning's eyes to see Jeanne's grow wide on them. "Raina!" She grabbed Cereza and squeezed her to her body, hair lengthening in an instant to cover Cereza's bare, floating ass in the air and their fronts.

"Nooo!" Cereza moaned, clutching to her tighter than ever to stop Jeanne from clothing in the unbreakable hair. "Please."

"Oh, don't mind me," Raina waved off airily, "You can finish. Claire and I will wait.

"C- Claire!" Jeanne squawked, obviously not having seen her. She flinched again, face dangerously heated.

"She said we can keep going," Cereza panted, dragging up herself to push her breasts at Jeanne. "Left breast, _please!_"

"Cereza, stop it." Jeanne tried to bat off, "Cereza!" then a slap resounded when Cereza tried to hump her still. Cereza slumped over Jeanne in desperate defeat and Lightning tore her eyes away again, not sure why she'd kept watching, she felt so red.

"Jeanne!"

"Raina, please— a moment."

"Take all the time you need."

"Jeeaaannnne!" Cereza moaned from the bed as light footsteps crossed and turned on a shower in a momentary rinse. Jeanne came out fully dressed in white hair with Cereza almost crying on the bed.

"Cereza, rinse off." Jeanne ordered, and Lightning saw Jeanne a little more flustered in her peep.

Cereza whimpered with real tears, pawing Jeanne's way on the bed pathetically. "Any otherrr day, Raina," Cereza moaned in real pain, "It's been months!"

"Cereza!"

"Aww," Raina cooed, "Poor thing. You sure you don't want to finish her up, Jeanne?"

Jeanne went a color Lightning didn't know she could. "Raina, please. We have much to discuss. In the other room."

**XXX**

Lightning remained incurably held, cradled to Raina's side as her mother took in the horrible things they'd endured in Cocoon. She wished Jihl was there, but Fang had never returned with her. All in all, it wasn't so uncomfortable as she might've feared. A bit heavy on the hugging when Lightning usually didn't like people this close, but… understandable from a loving mother's point of view, which Raina seemed uncannily like, just as Jeanne and Cereza had been. It both chilled and soothed her in uneasy ways; so far, she hadn't turned out the monster Lightning had always made her.

"I'm sorry," Raina apologized again in murmuring, "I'm so sorry, Claire."

Lightning didn't know what to say or make of it. Jihl would've. She wished Jihl was there.

When Raina finally pulled away again, she looked at Lightning with burnt eyes of a broken mother, so scorched by what she'd just heard. "Mom…" Lightning still didn't know what to say.

"Lightning!" Footsteps sounded around the bend, drawing everyone's eyes. Lightning breathed a huge sigh of relief upon seeing her woman there.

"Jihl," Lightning gushed, standing to receive her with Fang nearby behind them.

"She was sleeping." Fang offered haplessly, looking incredibly uncomfortable in apologizing to Lightning. "I didn't want to wake her."

When Lightning turned back to her mother on the couch, Raina stared at abrupt attention. "What did you call her?" Lightning shied a little at the intensity in those eyes.

"Um," she shifted uncomfortably into Jihl's side, "It's the name my wet nurse gave me in Cocoon. From my pendant." Lightning fingered in unease. Raina's intensity died down a little, but her eyes stayed on Lightning and the pendant she gripped.

"Is this your mother?" Jihl asked bluntly, taking in all of Raina on the couch.

"Jihl, yours, Jeanne?" Raina asked just as blunt, casting a glance to her and Cereza.

"Mom," Lightning cleared her throat again nervously. "This is Jihl… my girlfriend."

Jihl tore her eyes away from checking out her mother to look her way in startled surprise.

"Girlfriend," Raina repeated, increasing Lightning's nerves time ten. "So, that's how you carried each other through all of it." Raina breathed out in relief, standing. "Thank the Gods you had somebody. Jihl, thank you for taking care of my baby through hell." Jihl was on the receiving end of a surprising hug then, and when Raina pulled away, she stared after Lightning's mother, transfixed as she squeezed Lightning's side.

"Mummies!" A smaller voice interrupted anything else that would be said as the little red-streaked haired bullet came dodging in and clung to Jeanne's leg. "I had a nightmare, Mum," Rhea said importantly, "But you weren't there when I checked the bed, then I heard people talking, so I came here to find you." Small enough to fit under, Rhea tucked under Jeanne's five feet of legs and clung. "It was a bad one, Mum. I wanted to find you so bad. Who's this, anyway?"

Raina stared at the child, and Lightning noted how unusually long. She just stared; eyes so startled with dawning realization, she didn't speak a word, fully taking the little one in.

"Rhea— "

"You're Umbra," Rhea pointed out smartly, "Are you Lightning's mummy?"

"Yes," Lightning answered when it seemed like Raina wasn't going to, or seemed incapable of it. "Yes, she is."

"Well, hi, Lightning's Mummy!" Rhea greeted brightly. "I'm Rhea. It's nice to meet you!"

Raina's eyes finally picked up off the little one to move her incredulous eyes on Jeanne and Cereza instead.

"Rhea, darling," Cereza said before the empty response could stretch too long to offend the child or make her suspicious. Cereza scooped down and took little Rhea up out from under Jeanne's legs to hold like a cradled child. "It's very early. We're all tired and need to rest."

"Yes," Jeanne agreed, "We can save this for tomorrow, after we've all rested. Lightning, Jihl, Fang, I think that's enough for one night. You should head up to your rooms now, and I'll find Raina a place."

Lightning understood the dismissal as Fang darted off into the other room quickly without them, but she didn't necessarily want to leave her mom alone with Jeanne after incriminating eyes like that. "Mom," Lightning said uncertainly, then fumbled for what to say with Rhea still in the room. "It's… not all as bad as it seems."

"Claire," Raina reached for her one more time and kissed the top of her head. "Get some sleep, my girl. We'll have more time later."

"Mom, maybe you should tuck us in," Jihl suggested something Jeanne had rarely done, and Lightning knew she was nervous too.

"I'll be up in a little bit if you're not sleeping by then," Jeanne promised in dismissal of her concern over them.

When they returned to the hallway up the stairs, Fang was there with three plates sheepishly. "I thought you still might want them." Lightning took them in earnest.

"Thanks, Fang."


	32. Chapter 32

"It's okay, Cereza." Jeanne promised, "Take Rhea to our room." Raina politely waited until Cereza's footsteps echoed fully down the stone hall and a door closed behind her. Jeanne exhaled in relief for only the grace preserved that Raina had not open up a scene in front of little Rhea.

When it was safe, Jeanne said, "Raina, listen— " and received such a hard smack for it, her head twisted with the forcible sting of a backhand with Raina's sudden advance on her. Jeanne actually tasted blood.

"Are you trying to justify rape to me?" Raina roared, ocean eyes on fire with her passion in anger. "What the hell was that? You've been sleeping with Fang!" She raised another hand to strike her, but Jeanne caught it first.

"Yes," she answered frankly, for this was the only way to deal with Raina. "I have been. I've been forced to do a lot of things since you left."

"Forced!" This only made her angrier.

"Yes, forced." Jeanne's tone frosted like ice. "If you haven't noticed, our sisters have taken to subjugating the populations."

"Which you've _allowed_!" Raina snarled in temper. "Not only with Fang, now you're forcing Yuns too. Fang on her own people!"

"What would you have me do, Raina?" Jeanne's own voice and temper rose in kind to match Raina's. "Because I'll tell you what, I would _love _to give them a big 'fuck you' and run away like you did. I would love that. But Fang doesn't have the luxury to lose the few of us she has left. And neither do the Yuns."

"You could've done something else." Raina yanked her hand out of Jeanne's grip, eyes dangerously thin and narrowed. "Anything else. Hid her. Killed her. Any other way."

"You know she can't be hidden," Jeanne snapped back, "Any of us can detect her anywhere she is. And that's something else fun we learned when you were away; she can't be killed. She tried. _I _tried. She couldn't even castrate herself without them growing back. With Roma breathing down my neck, the only thing I've been able to do is slow the process down, and keep Fang as comfortable as possible here." Raina's jaw tightened, but Jeanne wasn't giving ground, stretched just as taut or worse as her fellow, old friend of a sister. "I needed you, Raina." Jeanne told honestly, own anger and desperation in her eyes, she was sure. "You held us by a thread. They wouldn't challenge the top three Sisters then. With only two, they felt much safer."

"I couldn't stay."

"You could've." Jeanne corrected, then added. "I wish you would've."

"No, Jeanne, I couldn't stay. Not because of Fang. I would've helped you with that."

"Then, why?" Jeanne asked the woman. Only shorter by an inch, she stood taller than Raina in her 8 foot 3 stature, imposing a bit above her. "Why'd you leave us, if it wasn't just your moralities?"

Raina sighed and paced one time from the couch and back before she finally paused there, not facing Jeanne, and revealed. "I was pregnant." Jeanne blinked, "With Farron's." Jeanne recognized that name; she'd been Raina's first Yun, back when Raina had Lightning.

"I hadn't even known you were trying again."

Raina released a shallow laugh. "I wasn't," which drew Jeanne's brows tight. "She was my lover, Jeanne. _Is _my lover, and my mate."

Lover. Mate. It was a purely Yun term to describe their married partners, and one Raina had adopted for a Yun. With a Yun. Raina had married a mortal, one of their own creation and crafting. Such a thing was unspeakable and boggled even Jeanne beyond all comprehension. "But she'll die."

Raina gave a small smile in glancing back. "Funny that that's the first thing that comes to your mind, Jeanne. Ironic even, wouldn't you say?"

"She's your wife," Jeanne echoed in incredulity.

"Mate." Raina corrected.

"What… what are you going to do when she passes?" Jeanne asked, floored. She couldn't imagine a day without Cereza, let alone a month, year, or lonely centuries without.

"Not something we really focus the relationship on, Jeanne."

"Wow…" Jeanne was slow to process it all, the circumstance was so unheard of. An Umbra in love with a mortal. How had it even happened? Farron had simply volunteered to provide a child for Raina, that's all. Maybe… maybe after Lightning disappeared, and Raina had been grieving?

The thought struck another though, that made Jeanne lift to meet her eye again. "You have another child."

Raina inclined her head. "Yes. Yes, I do."

"You wanted to raise her away. That's why you never came back to us. Not even once."

"That's true too." Raina agreed, "I love Fang… but raising my own took precedence. And I wasn't going to do that in a place where rape was justified. Besides," Raina settled to the couch with a heavy sigh. "I didn't imagine it'd get this bad, and now that it has… my only priority has been hiding my family from it."

Jeanne sighed fully. For years, she'd thought Raina left only because she couldn't take what they wanted to do for Fang. For years, she'd been so conflicted over Raina's choice to leave them. She'd hated the woman for it at times, thinking of Raina living out peacefully and quietly somewhere, other times, she envied her, and thought Raina had been the purest of them to escape all this.

Now, her reason made complete and utter sense. Jeanne couldn't understand her decision to pursue a Yun, but she understood the need to protect her family above all else. She couldn't even blame Raina anymore. With a breathy release of air, Jeanne collapsed to the sofa beside her longtime away friend. "What are you going to do now, Raina? Will you take Lightning and leave?"

"I'd vastly prefer that, yes." Raina confirmed, burying Jeanne's hopes further. She hadn't know what she'd expected when she found Raina, but the Umbra always seemed to have a way about her that she could disrupt things and change them. Jeanne feared she wasn't going to see that much of her friend, especially with the new circumstance she now knew. Any small hope she'd had of bringing Raina back in evaporated like smoke. "But I have a feeling I'm not going to be allowed to do that so quickly and quietly as I want."

"They're going to hold a meeting over you." Jeanne breathed, "Even knowing the circumstance, Roma likes her every advantage. I hope you've not forgotten her viciousness in court. She's Second now."

"That viper," Raina shook her head, "I'm not afraid, Jeanne. They've already stripped my clan; any pittance they want to debate is fine as long as I can take Claire home by the end of it."

"That's another complication." Jeanne exhaled in frustration. There was so much Raina had taken in already, and so much she didn't know. Jeanne loathed telling her these things. "Jihl is in love with Lightning. They're as good as married. If you weren't going to have enough trouble already separating them by taking Lightning away, it gets worse, Raina. Jihl is pregnant as well."

Raina's eyes grew wide and bulged. "By a man?"

"By Fang." Jeanne corrected, burying her face in her hands to rub up her forehead in complete exhaustion. She didn't want to see the look of horror Raina surely gave. "I tried to stop them, Raina. I did. Roma made it a council decision to allow them Fang. Lightning felt like she needed pregnancy after living with the men. And Jihl… Jihl just liked sex with Fang." Letting out a breathy exhale, she turned her head in her hands and found the true repulsion in Raina's eyes. "I'm sorry, Raina."

Jeanne sat up again fully with her back to the couch. "Lightning's had a harder time adjusting, and we've given her little reason to see things any better here. Just the other day, she came to it that she didn't need a child after all this. Then, Jihl turned up pregnant. She's buried herself in guilt concerning Fang. She's slowly dealing."

Jeanne shook her head, "And Jihl's fitting right in. I couldn't tell you who's doing better. Depends on your opinion." Jeanne looked at her again out of the corners of her eyes, sorrowful. "I wish I had better news for you, Raina."

"I do too," Raina clutched at a stitch between her breasts. "It's all falling to pieces."

"It's been in pieces," Jeanne corrected, "Nothing's been working, Raina. Everything just keeps getting worse no matter what we try to do to stop it. We've all become primal, like beasts."

"Yuns aren't the savages in our world." Raina agreed. Jeanne ran a hand through her hair in frustration.

"We're going to war with Cocoon over our children," she told Raina, closing her eyes. "And we're doing the exact same suppression of our own people for it."

"Going to war?" Raina asked, "Why aren't the men killed yet?"

Jeanne smiled faintly. Just another complication on their plates. "There's a Sage." Which drew Raina's eyes immediately, "At least one. We've been doing reconnaissance over Cocoon for the past month. We still have a ways to go in searching, but at least no one's suggested using the Yuns to attack. It's too personal for us to use anybody else for it, but we're being careful."

"I may have to stick around for that."

Jeanne tried to smile, but it was sad and strained. "I hope so. Don't mention it to Lightning yet; she's not ready to hear it."

"Of course," Raina sighed deeply. "You know, it's funny almost…"

"What is?"

"Farron wanted to call her Lightning," Raina said, sighing, "She wanted her to have a Yun name. I couldn't, of course, but… she ended up with it anyway."

"You've been seeing her a long time," Jeanne detected from it. "Before Lightning?"

"Since," Raina corrected, "When she was born… and when I was pregnant with her. I discovered it then. Farron helped me through everything."

"I'm glad one of us got some relief," Jeanne said and meant it, even if she couldn't understand Raina's falling for Farron.

"I'm sorry I had to leave you, Jeanne." Raina finally spoke again, "I didn't intend to abandon you to be buried in our sisters' mess."

"I don't fault you, Raina." Jeanne shook her head, "Family should always be the first priority in place." Jeanne thought of Cereza, and how she'd pleaded with her to stay. She'd have to make that up to her love too. "Farron's staying hidden, then?"

"It's safest for her there," Raina agreed without saying where, and Jeanne wouldn't ask of it. Raina started to stand. "Thank you for helping my daughter, Jeanne. I'll see if I can do anything while I'm here to help, since Umbra law doesn't apply to an outcast."

"Nothing extravagant," Jeanne warned, knowing how Raina could be as she stood. Jeanne nodded to Raina. "We're out of guest rooms, but Rhea's sleeping with us this morning, and we can make it a temporary permanence if you'd like her room."

"Oh, no," Raina waved off, "That's unnecessary. You all keep your rooms; I'll find space enough to sleep."

"Are you sure, Raina?"

"Yes, please, I'm fine, Jeanne." She nodded to Jeanne's door. "You should get back to Cereza and Rhea. Don't worry about me."

"If you change your mind…" Jeanne offered, unsure of where she intended to sleep.

"Thank you, Jeanne. And for taking care of Claire in my wake."

Jeanne parted her then as Raina headed upstairs to their children instead. Tomorrow would bring conflict, arguments, and heated debate over Raina. Jeanne tried to clear her mind of it as she joined back with Cereza. She failed, haunting dreams persisting on.

Raina marched upstairs on her clicking heeled feet and completely passed her daughter's room in favor of a different route, one right to the source.

Raina walked right into Fang's room, uninterrupted, and found the girl leaning nakedly over her bed, flattening out the sheets. "Raina," Fang glanced in greeting as the door shut behind the Umbra. "Could you give me a minute?"

"Sure…" Raina agreed quietly, spotting the marring scars across Fang's shoulders and chest. Her body was covered in them, and when she turned her back on Raina, it was in just as bad condition with four long nail streaks down either side of her back. Raina had to keep herself quiet from verbally saying anything about them. Fang nonchalantly pulled on a black shirt overtop and pulled into comfortable jeans.

"Sorry about that," Fang apologetically said, "I wasn't expecting company." She turned back to Raina and gestured towards the bed. "Have a seat?"

"Thank you," Raina replied, already disturbed with the casual ease with which Fang had in being naked, her torso revealed. Yuns in general had no worries about nakedness, but Fang… Fang was a special case, and it bothered Raina that she had just a casual air about it. How many times had Fang stood naked in front of an Umbra before? Raina didn't like the implications.

Fang joined her on the bed and asked politely, "How's Farron and the family? Your daughter must be grown by now."

Being the singular, one person Raina had told, the kindly question was almost sweet in a bitter sort of way. "She is," Raina agreed softly, wishing Fang was that cute little girl ahead, unblemished and scared, in need of a protector. Fang didn't seem to know it, but she still needed that, now worse than ever before. "Her name is Serah, and she's thirteen now. I left her back at home with Farron."

"Good thing," Fang nodded, "Not a real good climate around here for Yuns. Are they well where they are?"

"Yes. It's a very small village, and still hasn't been discovered yet by the Umbra."

"Good," Fang agreed quietly, "I'm glad to hear that." Raina could tell she meant it, the poor thing was so stuck in her withdrawal from the world and all things in it that could gladden a person. Raina had been Fang's friend once, and closest consort in helping her. Fang had begged her not to leave back then, and it'd torn Raina's heart apart to this day.

"Jeanne's been telling me what has been happening here, Fang." Raina tried to open, and Fang casually took it, not closed off or angry, just… dead to it all.

"Jeanne makes it sound worse because she's so stressed," Fang dismissed her concern to it all. "She treats me very well and keeps me safe when she's around to. It's not like all the Umbra are terrible either. I get by okay."

"There are others who are nice to you?"

"A few of them," Fang agreed, "Thalia and Ariadne haven't touched me at all. They're allowed that luxury because I just get passed to the next when five moons are over, or if they get pregnant first."

"Has everybody had you?" Raina asked, fearing she already knew.

"It's really not that bad." Fang said again, "If I didn't have to do Yuns, it'd be fine."

"Just because you're used to rape, doesn't mean it should happen, Fang."

Fang paused, glanced at her, then turned it away from her and said, "I'm sorry that it happened to Lightning. You being here should help her get back on track."

Raina closed her eyes as she turned her head away. "I'm sorry she did it to you, Fang."

"Don't be," Fang brushed off, "Her head wasn't in a right place, and she already feels guilty enough to fill the world of gran Pulse with it. I don't blame her."

"That's what scares me, Fang."

Fang glanced her way. "Raina, don't worry about me. I was younger back then, but I know why you had to leave. No one's faulting you for choosing family over some random Yun you sympathized with."

"You should, Fang." Raina shook her sad head, "The least you deserve is the right to blame."

Raina could feel Fang's eyes on her when she finally changed topic course and said, "Do you need a place to sleep, Raina? You look tired." Raina looked at her with sad, surprised eyes when Fang offered, "You can sleep here if you want. My bed's comfortable, and the sheets are fresh."

Was Fang opening to her in a meager sort of way in offering to share her bed? The only other people who'd done so had all used and slept with Fang, but this might mean Fang trusted her enough to offer, one of the only ones who'd denied taking her bed. Raina could hold her like a mother should've and tucked Fang in. "I'd like that, Fang."

Fang nodded, standing. "You need the rest," she agreed, "And somewhere comfortable to lay down." Fang took the pillows and stacked two for Raina, taking only one for herself, which she picked up under her arm curiously enough, and grabbed something from the counter which turned out to be her plate. "I'll be on the couch if you need something."

Raina's heart sunk like a rock. "Fang, wait." She called back to her as Fang stopped at the door and glanced back. Raina's heart broke in those expectant eyes of Fang's. "You should sleep on the bed. It's your bed."

"That's okay," Fang forgave easily, "I'm fine with the couch, but thanks." Fang offered the best attempt at a smile, which wasn't much. Raina felt worse than ever for her young, daughterly friend, but there was nothing she could do now. Not tonight. So, she just said.

"Goodnight, Fang."

"Good night, Raina." Fang bid, and left, breaking Raina's heart a little more than half.


	33. Chapter 33

Lightning awoke the next day to find Jihl already smiling, eyes open on her as she stroked Lightning's cheek gently and greeted, "Evening, Light."

Lightning blinked, gaining her bearings. "Have I slept all day?"

"You did," Jihl claimed fondly, "I did too, mostly. Woke up in the day to finish my steak."

"I didn't wake for that?" Lightning asked in utter surprise.

"You were tired," Jihl defended with a little smile. "Fang's steak knocked you out. Kept you quiet a whole day. I'm going to have to ask her for that recipe."

Lightning frowned, but looked into Jihl's eyes all misty sleepy and feeling okay. "How long have you been up?"

"Just a half hour or so," Jihl had cuddled into Lightning, legs wrapped and twisted, bodies touching with her arm around her in facing. "You're warm and pretty cute. Didn't want to disturb you from that."

"Hmm," Lightning murmured, eyes on Jihl's neck when she looked at her straightly in this position a little lower. "My mom's still here? I didn't dream that, did I?"

"No," Jihl chuckled with a small laugh, "You didn't dream that." Jihl reached up a hand and stroked some of her wavy strands back behind her ear tenderly, "You know, your mom's pretty hot, Lightning."

Lightning's brows furrowed. "Really, Jihl?"

Jihl smiled so amusedly, "I'm just saying."

"You just like her breasts 'cuz they're like yours."

"You noticed those too, hmm?" Jihl fondled the side of her breast. "Maybe you're still growing into yours."

Lightning frowned a little deeper. "You like my breasts."

"I do," Jihl confirmed with an amused twitch of her lips. She patted the side of Lightning's breast. "They're good breasts."

"Thanks for the condescension," Lightning grumbled.

"You know what else is pretty?" Jihl ignored with her faint smile.

"I don't want to hear about my mom's ass."

"Claire." Jihl continued, completely ignoring her, "It's a real pretty name."

"Pretty girly," Lightning mumbled, eyes dropping to her neck again.

"It fits you." Jihl claimed, then touched Lightning's hair gently. "Do you hate it?"

Lightning bit her lip. "Not really." There'd been a time when Lightning would've sworn it out in a second, professing ingrained hatred for her mom. But after everything… with Fang, and her mom's appearance, why she wasn't there before. Lightning didn't know what to think anymore. "Jihl."

"Hmm?

"The other day… " Lightning started slowly, crafting the thoughts around in her head, "You said you'd given up on the thought of men ever getting us pregnant."

"Yes?"

Lightning looked into her face. "You meant it?"

Jihl shifted, losing her humor to look Lightning seriously in the face. "I did, Light. They didn't get us pregnant for years."

"Umbra say that happens, though," Lightning pointed out, "They said it takes decades to get pregnant."

"Full Umbra, maybe," Jihl allowed, "But look how fast I got pregnant from Fang."

"Fang's Ragnarok, though. I think that makes her more virile just by circumstance."

"A month is still pretty damn fast when we spent nine years before it trying." Jihl countered again. "And you heard what Cybele said in the council meeting. That it's impossible for men to procreate with us. She wouldn't have had a reason to lie on an outburst like that, and no one denied it."

Lightning frowned again. She remembered that too, of course, and no one had spoken against it to say otherwise. None of the Umbra seemed to have any real interest in the men, in fact. But that meant… "If it's not possible, that means Sage lied about our fathers." Jihl lifted an eyebrow. "He wouldn't do that," Lightning said adamantly. Sage was a good man. Above men, in fact, Godly like the Umbra without letting his power go to his head. He still took mercy on his, and even the Umbra's creations. Sage had true divinity, unmatched by the likes of anyone else.

"Maybe. Maybe not," Jihl said quietly in a frustrating way.

"What do you mean by that?" Lightning asked in a flustered manner, "You think he'd lie to us?"

"I think we're Yun, is all."

"That means you think he lied," Lightning pointed out.

"Maybe." Jihl answered elusively, maybe trying to avoid a fight. Lightning didn't want to fight with her, she just wanted to know why her girlfriend thought that way.

"Why would he lie about that?" Lightning challenged without meaning to come off so defensive. Sage had helped them through hard lives every step of the way. He'd made exceptions for them that no other women received, simply because their fathers had returned them and asked in dying words for his care. It didn't make sense that he'd take care of them all those years like that if they'd been fathered in Gran Pulse. He'd have no reason to care a whit for them.

"I don't know, Lightning," Jihl sighed, sounding just as frustrated. "It just doesn't add up. You already said to me once that you wanted to spare my moms. Did you really still think they'd raped my dad when you told me that?"

"I… don't know," Lightning confessed, face creasing in stress as another obstacle came into the way of her theory on it. Both of their mothers hated or had refused to rape Fang. Would they have done so much with a man, one who wasn't even their creation? Or would that be more reason to, since they wouldn't be hurting their own? Cybele had claimed it was only the Sages' magic touched onto the Yuns that made them capable of such a thing, which sounded just as plausible, and Jihl was right, nobody had denied it or looked like they were lying. "Raping the Yuns wouldn't be like raping men. They had no attachment to them. Were going to kill them all, even. And how would they even know men are incapable of giving them children if they've never tried with them?"

Jihl shrugged and looked tired. "I don't have answers for you, Light."

Lightning bit the inside of her lip again, severely troubled with the new clues and revelations. Well, not new clues, they'd always been there, but Lightning hadn't given them as much thought as this. It was true, she and Jihl possessed some uncanny similarities to the Yuns, and their mothers were clearly against rape, but… why would Sage have lied to them, and even given kindness on top of that? If they were truly Pulsian, he'd have no reason to do that. None of it made sense.

"Maybe you should ask your mother about it," Jihl suggested offhandedly.

"She's not just going to tell me she raped my dad."

Jihl shrugged. "Mums told us about Fang."

"A little different when she's right here." Lightning lowered her eyes. "I don't know anymore."

"Don't worry about it so much," Jihl stroked her side. "It'll work out one way or the other. Get to know her a little better. Maybe she'll tell you the truth then."

Lightning glanced at her, grateful for Jihl's support. "How are you doing?"

"I'm getting along," Jihl touched her chin tenderly, "Thinking about how pregnancy's going to distort my perfect body and all. You know."

"You're still going to be perfect." Lightning countered. Nothing could make Jihl ugly. "You're always beautiful."

"You say that now when I'm not fat and bulging. How are you even going to be my spoon when I'm rounded? And labor…" Jihl made a face.

"You'll be my spoon," Lightning took her hands at the middle and squeezed them. "I'll take care of you, Jihl." Jihl squeezed her hand, and Lightning wouldn't let go.

**XXX**

"Might as well get it out of the way," Raina agreed, "If you're ready for it, Jeanne. I don't mind keeping quiet a few more days if you'd rather wait."

"No," Jeanne sighed, "It'll be worse if they find you by happenstance." At her side, Cereza's hand quietly dropped into her own and squeezed, which Jeanne appreciated. "Try not to aggravate them, Raina. We're just trying to get your allowance to stay now."

"You say that like I'll misbehave, Jeanne."

Jeanne cast her eyes, remembering with exactness the last meeting they'd shared with Raina. "I know how you are."

"She tells me it all the time too," Cereza added for Raina's defense. Jeanne sighed and opened the door to Paradiso. She stopped abruptly at the immediate sight of a black-haired Umbra who'd been reaching for the handle. "Selene."

Selene's eyes immediately ticked to her visiting companion. "Raina," Selene's dark eyes narrowed. "You've been located, I see."

"Very astute, Selene. I have missed that about you dearly. How fairs Athena? Has she finally left your righteous side yet?"

Selene's eyes became slits on Raina, literally the slits of a cat. She almost hissed when she said, "Enjoy your short-lived stay here, Raina. Your daughter certainly has." Her eyes flushed back to full-size normal when they turned on Jeanne, narrowed, but human. "I'll summon the council."

"Thank you, Selene," Jeanne breathed out in a puff, then when she had left, muttered. "Like that, Raina."

Raina brushed it off. "She wasn't going to vote for me anyway."

"Athena might. They're still on and off together, Raina."

"Pity," Raina speculated as they took off for the great hall. "I rather liked Athena too."

"She may vote for us yet, if she doesn't take Selene's offense."

"Who are our allies?" Raina asked, entering the empty hall alongside Cereza and Jeanne. "Has anyone's opinion softened over the years?"

"You didn't make it easy." Jeanne sighed with a glance. "None of us much liked 'rapist' being pitted over our heads."

Raina glanced to Jeanne, but didn't speak. Before it could get uncomfortable, she volunteered. "Thalia and Araidne always vote with us. And Athena still might count you in. Perhaps we can expect mercy from Persephone and subquentially, Nephelai, but Cybele eats out of Roma's hand. We won't get her vote for that."

"Hmm," Raina pondered as Cereza took a throned seat at the back, "That's a plausible seven of seventeen. What about Tethys? She used to like me."

"More than like," Jeanne reminded, "She's with Lethe now, both of whom support using Fang for our procreation. I don't know how she'll feel about you now."

"I don't know," Raina shrugged, "We had sex a few times before the war. Maybe that'll buy me her vote."

Jeanne blinked, "Raina, you were married!"

"Oh, before that," Raina passed off, "Centuries before that." Cereza smiled a little. Before they could say anything else, the grand doors opened again, with Selena stalking in, Athena at her side, holding her arm. Selene gave Raina a small smirk before she passed for the stairs.

Cereza sighed. "There goes that vote." They couldn't speak of it any further for the Umbra who poured in. Jeanne eyed Raina with a worried gaze. Raina shook her head.

"It's going to be okay, Jeanne," she said quietly. Jeanne wasn't so sure. Raina would have a chance to say some things, but Jeanne didn't know how it was going to help. Raina hadn't left things on easy terms when she'd departed. Jeanne was only glad she wouldn't speak of her mate to anyone else in these halls; if they had no chance already, that would kill everything.

The hall started to fill with Umbra looming above them once again. Last came Roma in her white garbs all drifting, a sense of deep power radiating for them all to feel. Bearing Fang's child, she had lost the gift temporarily of her magic, but emenated power and strength instead. Even Jeanne could fel the great comfort and ability of one so strong with that magic.

When the last of them had joined, Jeanne sighed quietly and stood from her seat. It was time to begin; she could only hope it didn't end in Raina's permanent forbiddance.


	34. Chapter 34

"Sisters," Jeanne addressed again, walking to the midst of the grand hall to address all of them. Voices died down when she spoke, those who'd been startled or talkative about seeing Raina in these halls, "We've gathered again to discuss the retrieval of Raina, our outcasted sister and mother of Lightning, our returned daughter of a moon ago. She is here upon our searches, and it is now put to us to decide if she may remain among us, a visitor in Paradiso. This council is not gathered to discuss the re-admittance of Raina to our ranks. Merely, we debate her right to stay for any length of time, or if you will see her gone from our lands. I open the floor to discussion over it."

Roma spoke up immediately. "Raina has been exiled and forbidden this place for good reason. Why should we now let her back to taint the minds of us and our children, swaying conviction when she has none to do what we've deemed is necessary? Away with her, I say! She is banned!"

"Strong words, Roma," Thalia lashed back immediately, "I wonder if you'd share the opinion over your own daughter's home. Raina is Lightning's mother. Banned or not, she has the right to live alongside her daughter wherever that may be."

"Where she can poison the minds of our own children?" Raina challenged, "You may no longer have to worry about that, Thalia, but I have one of my own and another on her way. I would not stand giving her that opportunity, as I'm sure many of us are concerned."

"Roma has a point, Thalia." Athena unexpectedly agreed, dropping Jeanne's spirits further. Athena had been a vote she'd been counting on for Raina. "I would not have our Ares hearing of her parentage at so young an age from lips that are not my own. Nor would I like Circe to overhear such things."

Selene smiled ever so faintly.

"And I wouldn't say it," Raina volunteered from the ground floor, "Influencing your children is the least of my concerns, Athena."

"But it is a concern of ours," Cybele spoke loudly, "We all know your views, Raina. You made them explicitly clear to us. Saying that you won't to our children proves nothing, especially when your own daughter has made her choice about Fang. Your 'influence' to her itself is concerning."

Jeanne stiffened at the mention. The last time Lightning joined them in these chambers, she verbally pronounced to all of them her wishes to procreate with Fang. She'd changed her mind now, certainly, but none of the council had witnessed this or how guilty she felt during the progression of it. Even if they knew, they could lay the blame of influencing her right at Jeanne's feet, which would threaten stability terribly.

Worse, Raina didn't know or hadn't considered how it could reflect back on her. "Claire can make her own decisions concerning what she wants. If— "

"Your daughter has already made her decision, Raina. Could you stand with it without lashing your tongue her way? That would be a first we've seen of you."

"Lightning's choice is not what's up for discussion," Jeanne cut in sharply, sensing dangerous ground. She especially couldn't set off Raina about the subject before these women. "What we are debating is her right to stay in Paradiso, nothing else."

"It has impact, Jeanne." Galene way down in the fifteenth seat volunteered. "If Raina can't come to terms with Lightning's choice, she has no place being near her daughter to persuade her otherwise, and she should leave. But further yet, if we provided Lightning the choice to go with her mother or stay, and she chooses to go, we've lost a willing daughter who wants to be with Fang. I don't like it any more than any of you, but if we hold Raina's exile and Lightning wants to go, there's nothing we're going to do to stop a child from following her mother, wherever Raina goes."

"Well spoken, Galene." Ariadne complimented, at the rail next to Thalia, clutching her lover's hand. "If Raina goes, Lightning may follow, and we're not going to interfere with a mother and her daughter if both are willing to leave. However, if we put aside Raina's exile and let her stay as an extended or permanent visitor, Lightning stays as well."

"You're assuming she would leave." Roma pointed out coldly, "Who says she doesn't value Ragnarok and Paradiso over exile with a lone outcast of a mother?"

"That's taking a chance," Nephelai said from her spot next to Cybele as Sixth. "She could just as easily leave, Roma."

They were fighting over Lightning's supposed willingness to procreate and what worth that had to the clan. It was horrible and mistaken in Lightning's intent, but it might be the only chance they had to keep Raina here on that gamble.

"Have we all forgotten her poisonous intent?" Selene tossed out casually, "Allowing Raina to stay risks all our children and Lightning's conviction as well. I, for one, remember the petty attempts to play on our guilt over the Yuns. And when that didn't work, the degenerate calling of names. What was it you called us, Raina? Sages' legion of rapists?" Selene _tsk_ed. "I won't have that near my girls, and frankly, it sounds dangerous to have such an opinion when your own daughter is one of 'those rapists,' Raina."

A few Umbra flinched at the term, but Selene's point resounded. Jeanne was losing them fast, and if the vote was called for now, they would lose it. Jeanne had to salvage it fast. "Then let her be watched!" All eyes turned on Jeanne, especially Raina's. "We can have someone to constantly monitor Raina whenever she shares an audience with Lightning or any of our girls." Raina's eyes grew wide on her, but Jeanne couldn't stop the suggestion. They would lose without it. "With Raina's behavior monitored, we can stop her from spreading any harmful influence to mine or yours and keep both of them here under our care."

"What?" Raina demanded, stunned by her words.

Overhead, Roma puffed. "And who would watch her, Jeanne? Certainly not yourself. Your sympathies are as well-known as Raina's. Who knows what you'd deem allowable to say?"

"Not me," Jeanne agreed, and Raina's incredulous grew more. "It should be someone childless… so no slip of the tongue mistakes could be made."

"We'll do it," Thalia volunteered, seeing what Jeanne was trying to do and picking up on it immediately. "As you so rightly say, Roma," Thalia chanced her a scathing look, "We have no child, and there are two of us. We will better be able to watch Raina and anything she might say."

"More sympathizers!" Roma roared in protest. "We might as well let her roam free among our children in play!"

"Roma should do it." Selene suggested, deadly even.

"What?" Roma snapped in surprise.

"She's Second," Selene said calmly, "Is it not the responsibility of Second to act in our Elder's place when she cannot?"

"I have a child!" Roma protested this immensely, "One slip, and she would know for all our detriment."

"Raina wouldn't speak to your child, Roma." Selene serenely served, "And if you are afraid she would, one of us can take her for the time, like we do when you share Ragnarok so busily."

"I am pregnant!"

"All the better, no? Raina will not be able to use her magic around you, which seems safer for everyone. And Cybele may assist you in monitoring." The touch of a smile graced her lips. "If you all allow a viper amongst us, I say it should be our Second and most vehement adherence who watches over our exile."

"I don't need a babysitter to watch me when I'm with my child!" Raina objected ardently, "She is my daughter! Not any of yours!"

"Yes," Selene agreed, "And while you live with us, you will obey our jurisdictions, Raina. Unless you're so sure your daughter will run away with you?" At Raina's speechless, restrained fury, Selene merely said. "I didn't think so. Sisters, I call for a vote. Do we allow this viper among us, watched under Roma's care, or shall we leave her to her exile for which her daughter may or may not join? Jeanne, begin us, please."

Jeanne tried to convey her apology to Raina, but if the woman knew it from her face, she was too stricken to acknowledge. "Shoot for Raina's monitored stay," Jeanne announced, raised her gun, and shot on high. "We have no right to separate mother and child. This is the best way." Cereza's shot rang in following.

"Seconding that. I'm sorry, Raina."

Roma didn't move for her gun at all. "She has no place here. Watched or not, I hope you all know better than to let a snake stay amongst us." It passed then to Persephone, across the grand hall in first chair on the left from coming in. A bullet went off into the sky above them.

"Jeanne is right," Persephone agreed solemnly, "No matter what she's done, Raina's child is her own, and a forced choice shouldn't be pushed on Lightning either way.

It went across the hall to Cybele, the Fourth. She started to raise her gun to that statement, then stopped when Roma struck her arm, incredulous. Cybele pulled back her gun, hesitated, and finally holstered it again.

In descending order, Thalia, Nephelai, and Ariadne all shot. Athena, Hecate, Selene, and Techne didn't. Nerites did, surprising her, and what would've been amusing if it weren't so serious, so did Tethys. Jeanne's breath caught in disbelief. They needed only one more to make it.

Soteria took her stand and shook her head. "She won't go near my girl. I won't shoot for her."

It passed to Galene, who'd inadvertantly spoken the behalf on Raina. She didn't reach for her gun. "Selene makes better points than me; if Raina does not believe her child will follow, neither do I. I'm sorry, Raina. You've brought this on yourself." Galene settled back and didn't shoot her gun.

It passed to their last and Raina's final hope for staying, Lethe. Tethys lover. Tethys had probably mentioned Raina before, now that they were together. Jeanne's heart almost stopped. This sort of circumstance rarely happened, when their sixteenth and last's vote mattered at all. Lethe settled in her seat with a sigh, seeming to know the weight her choice carried. "I can't say I like the idea of you staying around, Raina. You've said things against all of us. We weren't all happy with it, you know? We're just willing to survive." Lethe shook her head, "And you broke Tethys heart on top of that." Lethe glanced at her lover warily who had voted for Raina. "But we all deserve a second chance. Keep your mouth shut, and don't you dare talk to our daughter, Arete." She touched the hilt of her gun at her side, "And you've got my vote to stay." A shot went off from the barrel of her sawn-off Rose. "Welcome back, Raina."

"Thank you, Lethe," Raina breathed before Jeanne's voice boomed out.

"The vote is nine to eight in favor of Raina staying!" Jeanne announced to them all, "This meeting is adjourned! Roma, Cybele, to the floor, please."

With a rush of chattiness as Umbra went to their wives and left, Jeanne waited for Roma and Cybele to join them downstairs with a wary glance to Raina. "I understand, Jeanne," Raina sighed quietly under the noise of Umbra around them, "Thank you for saving the vote."

"I'm sorry I couldn't do better, Raina."

Roma joined them with her wife downstairs. "We'll get you settled in our home," Roma growled, irritated with how things had turned out this way. "Did you bring anything?"

"Nothing I can't get later," Raina sighed, "Please bring Claire over when she wakes up, Jeanne."

"I will, Raina." Jeanne promised, "We'll be over there as soon as they're up."

"Thanks, Jeanne." Raina turned back to address them tiredly, the wear of this place already starting to show on her. "Lead the way."

Jeanne hoped she'd fair better with Lightning.

**XXX**

Jihl entered the kitchen with Lightning only to find Fang and Rhea in the room. "Hi Jihl, hi Lightning," Rhea greeted, not looking up from the small piece of wood Fang had between her fingers.

"What's going on here?" Jihl asked, stomach rumbling in a disturbingly-close-to-Lightning's manner as the smell of food cooking over fire roused her.

"Fang's carving a miniature me," Rhea claimed importantly. "Mummy said I couldn't use the knife, so Fang said she'd try and let me watch instead."

"Oh yeah?" Jihl smiled, "How's she doing?"

"I almost have a head!" Rhea claimed happily, "It's a little angular, but Fang says it's just my hair, and it'll come out when she's done." Rhea gave Jihl a knowing look. "I don't think she knows what she's doing."

"Something smells good," Lightning commented, delighting Rhea.

"I'm making biscuits! They're in the oven now with Fang's ducklings."

"You're making duck?" Lightning asked with interest, and Jihl smiled to hear the hunger in her too. At least she wasn't alone with it.

"Dagonite, yeah." Fang confirmed, scraping off layers of the wood with her knife, "There's enough for both of you too when it's done. Should be any minute."

"You're so good to us, Fang." Jihl settled into a seat next to Rhea with a smile, "So, where did Mums go anyway? I half expected to be woken up by them in the middle of the day."

"They've gathered for an Umbra Council concerning Raina and her right to stay."

"Her right?"

Fang glanced at her from the project. "She's an outcast, Light. They might kick her back out."

"But she just got here." Lightning objected, seemingly really bothered. "I'm here. They can't just kick her out."

"They might," Fang corrected, wary eyes returning to the little project.

"Why was Lightning's Mum kicked out?" Rhea asked importantly, "Mum just tells me she was too courageous when I ask."

"Because that's why," Jihl told her with a little smile.

"That's not an answer," Rhea complained, "It's an evasion."

Jihl chuckled and kissed her head. "When you're older, Sweetie."

"See?" Rhea grumbled, "I knew it."

"How long ago did they leave?" Lightning asked, still distracted with it.

"Ten minutes, twenty?" Fang shrugged, "Sometimes they only take seconds. Just depends if they're Witch Timing or not."

"Twenty minutes is a long time then," Lightning picked out, drawing Fang's eyes to her again.

"I wouldn't worry about it, Lightning. Raina's going to find a way to spend time with you either way. She's not gonna let them take her daughter from her." Lightning still seemed bothered. Food would cheer her up; it always did.

"Shall I check dinner for us?" Jihl suggested, popping off her chair, and Rhea popped off a second later too.

"Let me check the biscuits with you!" she scrambled over to the stove first and poked one with the end of a toothpick that'd once been attached to a sucker before. "Ooh! They're crispy!"

"Get me a tray," Jihl grinned, "I'll get them out of there."

"No one lets me do the 'dangerous' work," Rhea complained, going to a cupboard for the tray while Jihl checked the ducks, then used the metal lifter to grab the biscuits back away.

When all of them were stacked on the plate, Rhea brought it over to the table and popped back up into her seat, pushing the biscuits to the middle of the table. "Did I miss anything?" she looked at Fang's hands, then pouted. "This is like waiting for bread to rise."

Fang glanced at her with the barest hints of her lips twitching, something she only gave for Rhea. "It'll be better when it's done."

"I hope so," Rhea claimed, tilting her head on her fist to watch, "I'm trusting you, Fang."

"Pulling out the ducks," Jihl announced, getting them free with a flat metal fire-stick to tray them, perfectly steady and capable with one hand on each without tilting. She grabbed the catch-pot by the handle with a cloth when she was done and took it to the sink with the meat to brush the ducks over with their juices again.

"You like my biscuits!" Rhea claimed, seeing Lightning take her second, and seemed embarrassed.

"They're very good."

The front door a room and a half away opened, startling Lightning to look to the entry impatiently. Jihl eyed her girlfriend as heels clicked on stone. Two repeated sets. Jeanne and Cereza came into the room alone and Lightning stiffened in despair.

"Girls," Jeanne greeted with a heavy sigh.

"Where's my mom?" Lightning asked, searching the door behind Cereza and Jeanne.

"She's at Roma's, Lightning."

Rhea made a face. "Aunty Roma's mean."

Jeanne looked at her youngest, then motioned another way, "Jihl, Lightning, this way please."

"Again?" Rhea cried, "Why don't I get to know or do anything!"

Jihl gave her little sister's hair a ruffling, then followed Lightning out to the other room in the main entrance way. Jeanne started to speak, but Lightning interrupted and said, "I could hear from the other room when you came in." Jeanne nodded and waved them a little further to the living room instead. Finally, she turned to them and said.

"Your mother's been allowed to stay, Lightning," which lifted Jihl's spirits right away, and Lightning seemed relieved. "But only under a stipulation," Jeanne added sadly. "She has to be watched by Roma or Cybele any time she talks to either of you."

"Why?" Lightning blurted.

Jeanne seemed tired again, so stressed. "The council's afraid Raina will influence you away from Fang."

"What?" Lightning protested automatically, "But we've already stopped sleeping with Fang."

"I know that," Jeanne said heavily, "But they don't. Hopefully, this will only take a few days when Cybele and Roma realize that you've stopped sleeping with Fang of your own accord. But until then, we're stuck with it for a few days."

"Can't we just tell them we changed our minds?"

"They won't much understand that, Lightning. It's worse with Jihl pregnant, and they'll say Raina guilted you out of it. I know how bad you feel about Fang already," Jeanne's eyes flickered quick and sadly at Jihl, which made her lower her head. That had been addressed to Lightning. "But unless they see it's from you directly, they'll blame Raina or Cereza and I for interfering. Please, Lightning. It's only for a few days."

Jihl's brows came together at that mention. "Can't they blame you anyway for it? Because you've housing us?"

"It's a possibility," Jeanne admitted, "But if they don't see it from you two, they won't let Raina freely interact with you both. So, I'm afraid it's a chance we'll have to take." Jihl's brow furrowed deeper. She didn't want to get her mother in trouble over it. This was something she'd have to talk out with Lightning alone. There was always a way to play the game, and Jihl knew how to play expertly.


	35. Chapter 35

"And this is your room," Cybele presented, opening the door to a lushly kept, unused guest bedroom.

"Thank you, Cybele," Raina thanked, having nothing in particular about Cybele, just her consort and wife. "Do the Umbra keep an ice house anywhere nowadays?"

"Jeanne has one," Cybele noted, "And there's a community one for our pregnant women kept near the falls. Some of the children enjoy the taste of meat as well." Cybele's white brows drew together then, "Why do you ask?"

"I've taken to the taste of it of late." Raina explained, earning a face, "Just wondering."

"Well," Cybele finally said awkwardly, seeming to have nothing else to say to her. "If you need something or want to visit Lightning…"

"Claire may be here shortly." Raina reminded, "If you have to be here for it."

"Right," Cybele glanced down the hall after her and Roma's room. "I'll stay for that, I suppose…"

Raina sighed inwardly. This was going to get old so fast. What could she even say to her daughter with these snakes listening to her every word? A mother had a right to speak to her daughter in the nature of sexual circumstance, especially one like this. "Do you mind if I wash up first?" Raina asked, wanting to avoid waiting with the witch until her daughter came.

"Oh," Cybele registered, stepping back, "Of course, Raina. I'll be... I'll be just outside then, until they come." Great, a watchdog. At least the rooms were soundproof. Entering into the bedroom, Raina shut the door behind her and crossed to the attached bathroom to rinse her face. She wanted Claire out of here as soon as she could manage, but with her new guards, connecting with Claire enough to get her out of her may take more time than that. It also didn't tackle the problem of her attachment to Jihl.

After 22 years of missing her, Raina knew Jeanne wasn't likely to want to let Jihl away from her family, and Raina didn't intend to pull her from it, but then Claire… she may choose to stay out of pure desire to stay close to Jihl, which Raina understood perfectly, but it'd prove more complications than help when Raina just wanted to take Claire back to her rightful family.

That was if she wanted to come in the first place, and it still left Jeanne, Cereza, and Fang all out to dry in the end of it. Raina sighed; there was no way to win every way, but she'd made the choice of family years ago with Farron. It'd be the same choice she'd make again, when the time came. This place barely beat a prison cell, and didn't in many aspects for the company she shared. Raina would take her in a second if Lightning was willing to leave this place.

Turning away from the mirror, Raina moved to survey her new quarters. She hadn't expected to be away very long, though it looked like her stay might last a little more than she'd expected. She'd have to get a word to Farron inbetween, once this monitoring nonsense had passed. Farron wasn't known to act cautiously when her patience had been stretched thin. Probably best to leave the news of Claire alone until she'd returned with her as well, else her impulsive mate might very well show up immediately.

About to kindle the fire a little more, Raina's new bedroom door creaked open. "Raina, your daughter's here." Cybele's voice echoed in.

"Already?" Raina stood from the fire. That had happened… fairly quickly. "I thought Jeanne said she slept during the night." If Cybele heard, she didn't have words to acknowledge it with or cared to. Raina went to the door and opened it fully, revealing Roma lording over her children with Cybele more awkwardly stepping aside the pathway to them. "Claire!" Raina bent and plucked her up easily to hug her girl, who let out something of a squeak.

"Mom!" More out of startle than resistance to it.

"Claire," Raina kissed the top of her head, then finally set her girl back down again. She touched those blackened, dyed strands with a measured frown and ran a hand through them. "Such dark coloring, my dear," it was something she hadn't been able to comment on that early morning with all the other horrors revealed. "You like it this way?"

"She doesn't share your tastes, Raina." Roma sneered snidely, lifting Raina's impeccable blue eyes to the woman.

"Excuse me, I didn't know the au pair could contribute to my conversations. Must I petition a quieter babysitter to watch over me?" Jihl snorted something that suspiciously sounded like a choked laugh. Raina turned her attention back to her daughter and Jihl. "Don't mind the chambermaids, dears. They have little better to do than sit and intimidate." Jihl hid a keen smile; Lightning fretted a bit more. Raina put a hand on her girl's shoulder. "Would you like to come in? I've only just seen the room myself."

"Okay," Lightning agreed quietly, glancing to both their guards, then Jihl. Raina held the door for them and walked with them, not minding Roma's hateful sneer when she let it go for them. She and Cybele entered the room after her while Raina encouraged Claire and Jihl to the bed with her. Cybele and Roma stood like haunting ghosts near the fire.

"We have much to talk about," Raina said, ignoring the two entirely as she seated next to Claire with Jihl on the far side, "Won't you girls tell me more about you both? I know the horrible, but I don't know anything about you." Raina rubbed her daughter's far arm, own falling to Lightning's shoulder on the bed. "You must have some things good to have come together where you were." Lightning glanced at the two on the wall warily again, and Raina could tell they spoiled her from openly speaking. Jihl, however, stepped up where Lightning hesitated.

"We grew up together," Jihl volunteered for her, "Shared the same wet nurse from as far back as I can remember. Lightning was always with me and we learned everything together. Always sorta loved her." Raina smiled fondly, rather liking the way Jihl told that without a worry or care. "It was forbidden, of course, but I wasn't going to let Lightning go untended in that place. She kept me sane there."

"Jihl did more than that," Lightning added quietly, "I wouldn't have made it without her."

From the side, Roma whispered something to Cybele that raised Lightning's eyes before she shied away from them. "Enough from the peanut gallery!" Raina snapped at them, seeing Lightning's adverse reaction to whatever had been said. Roma wasn't helping Lightning's comfort levels one bit. "Might I remind you my daughter is half Yun and can hear everything you fishwives are saying? Gossip on your own time, and stop wasting ours with it."

Roma silenced with a dark glare. Cybele simply lowered her head. Raina returned attentions to her little girl and Jihl; she squeezed Claire's arm, the more affected of the two. "Don't mind them so much, Claire." She advised her girl softly, "You're not theirs." When she seemed to shy again, Raina tried to steer the attention back another way, rubbing Claire's arm encouragingly. She knew how awkward it could be when she consciously registered their presence. There was so much she couldn't even say with them standing there, things Claire ought to know about her dad and family. For now, they had to simply settle for less. "Do you like it here?" Raina asked, keeping her eyes on her two girls. "With Jeanne and Cereza?"

"Mums are great. We've never been treated so well like they do us. Light and I both like it." Jihl commented again, and Raina noted the Umbra piercings over Jihl's skin with her long, blonde tresses woven through them in a simple, beginner's-style fashion, compared to her daughter who didn't have any and dyed hair. Jihl had embraced her heritage; Lightning seemed shyer to commit, just as Jeanne had said.

"Mom," Lightning spoke quietly again, drawing all their attention to quiet and let her speak. "Are you… going to stay with us here? With me?"

"I'm not going to leave you again, Claire." Raina told her adamantly, wondering if Lightning had been afraid of that since yesterday. "Although," Raina cast the two other Umbra a sideways glance, "Paradiso would not be my first choice location."

Roma made a noise in her throat, warningly perhaps. Raina tired of her interruptions and the obvious toll they were taking on her daughter whenever they happened, making an already-shy girl more reserved even yet. At least Cybele stayed quiet, which gave Raina the inclination to ask. "Would you girls like to Witch Walk with me? A breath of fresh air might be nice."

"Raina," Roma started warningly, standing up from the wall.

"Cybele can watch us," Raina brushed off coldly. If they agreed, it'd get rid of the vulture of the two, at least.

"We don't know how," Lightning admitted quietly, looking like she'd honestly want that too.

"You don't know how?" Raina asked, startled. "Jeanne never taught you?"

"We know other things," Jihl volunteered, "Like Witch Time, our strength, and transformation abilities."

"But not of Witch Walk," Raina said, urging Claire and Jihl to stand with her, "That's practically sinful, though I understand Jeanne's reasoning. It is a bit dangerous, and not to be practiced outside of our watchful guardianship."

"Dangerous?" Jihl seemed intrigued and Raina smiled at the girl again. She was growing rather fond of Jihl for her shy Claire.

"Only when Jeanne or myself are not there to monitor. Would you like to try, Claire?"

"What is it?" Lightning asked, "I've only heard Rhea mention it…"

Raina smiled as she started to lead the girls away, Roma infuriated and rapidly commanding Cybele things as she pushed out the door. "Let me show you. This way."

**XXX**

Lightning cautiously stepped, bare feet sticking with some unknown grip ability that didn't really hurt so much as tickled the bottom of her feet. Standing in front of her mother with Jihl just at her side, they walked an impossible, straight path up the vertical cliff that lead to the Umbra home in Paradiso.

Lightning stood completely breathtaken by the act of it. "This is incredible," Lightning voiced, looking far below to her left at the crooked landscape from this viewpoint.

"You like it?" Raina asked, arm around her and Jihl's shoulder in guiding.

"It's amazing," Lightning echoed, taking Jihl's hand suddenly. "Look!" she pointed on far below where a small, small gorgonpsid tackled a yellow blob of flan and ripped the poor thing to pieces.

"You're turned on by the weirdest things." Lightning ignored her and continued to watch. Jihl didn't let go of her hand. "Does anyone else feel like they're about to fall to their death?" Jihl complained, moody being the only one afraid in this circumstance.

"You won't," Raina promised, "As long as you stay on the moon-lit patches, you won't fall."

"So a passing cloud could kill us all." Jihl pointed out, not letting go of it. "Very comforting."

Raina smiled; Lightning finally pulled her eyes away to look at them and really enjoyed it, both the sight of her mother and timidly curt girlfriend here on this amazing wall. "Can we run like this?"

"Eventually," Raina seemed especially pleased, "You can do a lot more than you think. Jeanne's never shown you a Witch fight, has she?" Lightning shook her head, "Ah, that figures," Raina shook her head, "She's had little inclination to fun and foreplay of late."

That grabbed Jihl's attention. "Foreplay?"

"You'd have to see it," Raina chuckled, both of them disturbingly unaffected that they were speaking of Jihl's mothers. "It's really something."

"Mom," Lightning asked then again, moving her eyes back solely on her mother. "You know how to fight… in an Umbra way?"

"Of course, Claire."

"Could you teach us?" Lightning asked, glancing at Jihl who seemed a little interested, if a bit distracted. "I saw… I saw Fang fighting beasts the other day. It was… she was just…"

"It turned Lightning on," Jihl filled in, and earned a deeply frowning, disturbed look from Lightning.

"That's not it," Lightning countered that, especially with the idea it'd give her mother. "I didn't— " she started to say, but then became aware of a finger tap from Jihl's thumb on the back of her hand. Two times, over and over in stints, like a nervous habit, except Jihl didn't have nervous habits, and this one especially meant otherwise. Twice for no. It was a signal they'd developed when they'd been children long ago and hadn't really had to use Lightning glanced down at their hands then back to Jihl, who seemed unperturbed. Maybe holding the face. The double tapping didn't stop. Curious, Lightning re-directed, "What I'm trying to say…" Lightning corrected, doubtful gaze returning to her mother as the tapping abruptly stopped. "Is we know some basics, but not really how to use our skills with it, and…"

"Claire," Raina squeezed her shoulder. "I'd be honored to show you both how to utilize them."

"Can we talk about this standing right again?" Jihl asked, "I'm feeling nauseated."

What didn't Jihl want her to mention about Fang?

"Would you like to be carried, dear?" Raina offered kindly. Lightning wondered where her vertigo came from. Jihl hadn't shown aversion to heights like this before.

"Lightning might get jealous," Jihl dismissed, making Lightning roll her eyes at it. Raina put a hand at her back and started guiding the two the rest of the way up the cliff gently. When they finally reached the top and climbed over the railing, Jihl puffed, holding her head, and immediately collapsed down to lay her head back against the rail.

"Hey," Lightning said, kneeling next to her, "Are you okay?" she reached out and touched Jihl's head, which was sweaty, her breath coming a little labored and uneven.

Jihl cracked an eye as Raina knelt on her other side as well. Even Cybele stiffened at the sight of Jihl downed. "I'll be fine," she breathed in one rush, closing the eye again. "Need a minute."

"Is this a normal reaction?" Lightning asked her mother, touching Jihl's cheek next.

"Disorientation sometimes is for beginners, but I don't think it's that."

Lightning looked up at her mother and tried to read what that meant.

"Should I get Thalia…?" Cybele asked uncertainly.

"No," Jihl grunted, "I'm fine. Just a little dizzy. Already starting to feel better, really."

"Raina, don't do anything." Cybele requested, almost pleadingly. "Aura is prone to fainting spells," she explained when they looked at her, "I'm going to get the baked cracker bread we have at home for her."

Raina looked at her in surprise and finally said, "Thank you, Cybele."

The woman disappeared quickly, her home the first on the front of the cliff. Raina looked back to Jihl and Lightning quickly and quietly spoke. "It's her pregnancy." Lightning stiffened, but they had too little a moment for Cybele to be away, so Raina whisperingly continued anyway. "Witch Walking's made her nauseous; don't do it again during her pregnancy. It'll fade soon enough; keep her resting."

"Raina?"

Raina breathed in aggravation. "Here comes the bitch."

"Where's Cybele?" Roma's distinctive callous flung her way as heeled shoes clinked on stone. "What are you doing out here alone with them?"

"Keep her still," Raina advised, then turned narrowed eyes on the viper approaching them.

"Raina!" Cybele hurried back from the house with the promised cracker bread, a cup of sloshing water, and a banana fruit. She slowed, actual fear registering when she saw Roma standing there.

"Where have you been?" Roma demanded, glowering eyes falling to the items in her hands, where rage darkened to dangerous intent. "Getting snacks?"

"Jihl felt nauseous," Cybele tried to say in weak defense, acutely stopped now. She took a step back when Roma advanced on her a step. "I was only gone for a second— "

"You blathering idiot," Roma grabbed the front of her beautifully woven hair and yanked her closer. A few strands actually pulled free, no easy feat, Lightning knew, with hair as strong as metal adamantite. Cybele gasped, "Have you never seen a ruse before? She could've told them anything while you were grabbing cookies!" Roma swiped the cracker bread from her hand, which hit the ground and shattered, banana squishing like jelly. The cup dropped from her fingers in startle from it or fright.

"Hey!" Lightning started to protest.

"Leave her alone, Roma." Raina demanded icily, at Roma's back in seconds with a hand on her forearm. Her eyes glinted like ice. She must've gripped Roma's forearm hard because Roma ripped away her arm from Cybele then and struck Raina's hand off her.

"Don't touch me, outcast."

"Roma— "

Roma turned her fury back on her in an instant, uncaring how Cybele gripped her aching hand in pain. "Go home, Cybele. I'll clean up your mess."

Cybele hesitated, eyes flicking to Jihl who'd raised her head at the commotion and still looked a little pale. She thought better of speaking of Jihl's illness again.

The crisp smell of something metallic registered to Lightning. Her eyes trained on the hand Cybele was still gripping. The moon cast a stark light on them, illumining way past enough for Lightning to make out a dark, slender rivulet from under her hand. It dripped to stone with a little, silent splash that no one else seemed to notice.

Seeing her gaze, however, white engulfed Cybele's hand in a glove as she pulled the limb up and out of sight. "I'm sorry, Roma." With that quiet apology, Cybele turned on her heel and left.

Lightning watched for another droplet, but Cybele must've wrapped it tight. No others but the one fell as Cybele walked away, heels clicking as she disappeared again into the house again. Lightning's jaw tightened as the eyes of a demon stared straight into her. "Get up, pretenders," Roma growled their way. "It's time for you to go home to Jeanny."

"I'm not done with my girls," Raina said darkly.

"You'll be done when I say you're done." Roma snapped back, "You live under our rule now, Raina."

"Do you smell the blood?" Jihl asked in a whisper.

"I saw it," Lightning murmured back.

"It's not helping." Jihl breathed out, nice and long.

"You're still dizzy," Lightning could see it in her eyes even sitting. She didn't want to get Jihl sick. "Here," Scooping an arm under Jihl's legs with one at her back, Lightning lifted Jihl's six-foot-three frame easily and cradled her to her chest. Roma scoffed, but Jihl leaned against Lightning's shoulder gratefully, slinging an arm around her neck.

"So romantic, Claire."

Lightning's lips quirked a little as she carried Jihl behind Roma. She put a hand to Lightning's back gently; Jihl's eyes had closed in resting. "Is she all right?"

"She's fine," Lightning assured, holding her in close to her chest. "She just likes the royal treatment."

"You bet I do."


	36. Chapter 36

When they arrived home again, Lightning looked to Raina with Jihl still cradled in her arms like a baby. "I'm going to take her upstairs to our room," Lightning announced, "But I'll be back in a few minutes." She chanced a glance to Roma, then asked, "You'll still be here?"

"Yes, Claire," Raina answered before Roma could even say anything. "I'll still be here."

"I didn't authorize that," Roma glared wickedly, to which Raina completely ignored.

"See you in a few minutes, Claire."

Lightning nodded, glanced down at Jihl, then added. "A couple more than a few, that's all."

Raina grinned, "Tuck her in, Claire."

Roma wrinkled her nose in distaste as Lightning walked away with Jihl.

"You're asking for it, Raina." Roma growled when they had gone.

"What are you going to do, Roma? Take it up with Jeanne that you want to forbid time with my daughter?" Raina shook her head, "You're getting more irrational with every moment I'm here, Roma. It's kind of amusing." Departing from her, Roma's brow set darkly as she went after following Raina, who'd stopped in the kitchen doorway. Over her shoulder, Roma saw the back of Fang leaving the opposite doorway.

"Fang!" Roma called out joyously, stopping the girl in her tracks. She brushed past Raina and carried on over to the Yun, who turned to greet her politely.

"Madam," Fang greeted, and to Roma's delight, she noticed Raina twitch horribly.

"Fang, sweetie," Roma took her cheeks in her hands and brushed back fingers against Fang's scars in a tender fashion. "You're looking beautiful, darling."

"Thank you."

Roma could practically hear Raina's nerves grinding like a lyrical hymn.

She smiled, second hand lifting from Fang's unblemished cheek to stroke back into her hair tenderly. "How about a kiss, Fang? You know how I like it." Fang lifted her head to Roma to receive her lips. Roma lowered to meet that pleasing mouth that wrapped hers in a deep twist as Fang lovingly massaged over her lips. Roma encouraged her with a slip over her tongue over Fang's bottom lip, which elicited hers to come out mid-kiss in the most perfect way as she drew out the touch. Fang's breath caught unexpectedly when Roma pressed her ass in a grip that moved Fang right up to her leg. She hardened beautifully a let a short slip of a groan that came like a grunt when her delightful hard center pressed to her leg, aching to be let free.

Only when Roma felt that did she release Fang with a squeezing encouragement to her ass that made Fang dizzy when she pulled back, eyes a little unfocused when she stood there staring in Roma's arms. Roma rubbed those beautiful scars on the side of her cheek again fondly. "Feel anything different, darling?"

"You're pregnant." Fang said in her dizzy, able to feel and sense it, even without Roma's new garments of stretchy leather. Roma loved it 100 percent.

"You bet I am, baby," Roma purred, loving her face more than anything right now, and loving Raina's sickliness. She couldn't tell which was more satisfying in this moment. "You've filled me up again, you beautiful, fertile bug."

"That's enough, Roma." Raina finally managed to choke. "Leave her alone."

"Hmm, Raina?" Roma cast her a wicked smile her direction. "I'm just telling Fang the news. Fang wants to know; don't you, precious?"

"Yes," Fang replied out of duty, though it sounded more wistful than that. When Roma looked back to her, she stared at Roma's stomach.

"Poor thing," Roma purred, stroking her favorite scars on Fang's cheek, the most visible of her markings, and her first. "Now you're all hard with no place to pump it." Roma cradled Fang to her breast, loving the feel of Fang on her body. "I would do you right now if I didn't have to mother Raina, dear."

Roma kissed her lovely head of scraggled, flipping out hair. "Why don't you go and find Lightning, sweetie? Go relieve yourself with her a bit."

Fang stepped away from Roma and cast a furtive glance towards Raina, then finally said quietly. "…Okay."

"You boorish hussy!" Raina lifted her arm, having already taken the few steps to strike Roma, but a strong, unyielding grip latched hold of her lower arm and didn't release as Fang squeezed.

"Raina, don't." Fang's eyes flitted back to Roma, who smiled smugly at the incredulous on Raina's face. "Don't touch her," Fang re-emphasized, holding her arm steadfast in an unbreakable grip.

"That temper, Raina," Roma _tsk_ed. "What an ugly thing. It's gotten worse on you, living among the savages as you have." Roma smiled cruelly, "Lightning's in her room, Fang. You may leave us." Fang held a few seconds longer, then finally released her hold. "Thank you for restraining her beastliness." Roma said in dismissing, finally issuing Fang away, and missed the poor thing when she had gone. She sat at the table calmly and folded her hands. "Let's wait for Lightning, shall we?"

**XXX**

Lightning came down a full half hour later, flushed, Jihl trailing her behind. "I'm sorry for taking so long," she apologized, coming into the open foyer. "Jihl had other ideas…" she cut off when she found the room empty and frowningly called out, "Mom?" because she could still smell her and Roma present there.

"We're in the kitchen," Raina echoed from the adjoined room just through the small hall. Lightning and Jihl turned in there, and Lightning found her mother surprisingly behind a hot pot, stirring something. Roma sat uninterestedly at the table, though her eye picked up on them upon their entry. Lightning came up behind her mother in utter surprise to glance into the bowl.

"Jeanne said you didn't like cooking."

Raina cast Roma a gaze before she chose to answer Lightning. "Things change with time."

"When you choose to debase yourself, yes." Roma agreed.

Raina ignored her. "Jihl's feeling better?"

"Yeah…" Lightning cast suspicious eyes her way. After the oral she'd just given, Lightning had to wonder how nauseated she'd really been by the time they'd gotten home. "She does that."

Raina nodded silently. There were so many things Lightning could say to her mother. So many things she wanted to speak, but as her eyes wandered to Roma again, Lightning knew she couldn't. Not as long as Roma stayed watching them, surveying everything they spoke or said. Lightning couldn't risk getting her mother or Jihl's blamed for anything.

Raina seemed pained with it too. Instead of mentioning anything that needed to be said, she only asked instead. "You girls like Behemoth thigh? I'm making a long stew with it."

"Ooh," Jihl cooed wantonly, "With vegetables?"

"We can add them if you like." Jihl tugged Lightning's arm, who shook her head and gave in. "Okay, okay, we'll get some for your silly tastes." Lightning ventured into the cellar and came back with a wide assortment that they started chopping upstairs for the stew. It wasn't as terrible as it could be with Roma watching, but Lightning longed to have a conversation of substance with her mother, to tell Raina that she hadn't really wanted to do Fang after all and wait to let Raina mention their father so that Lightning might inquire into the Yun or Cocoon question. Hell, she even got lukewarm inclinations to mention Sage, which she still wouldn't if she were able to anyway, but Lightning wanted the choice of it anyway. These stiff conversations with her mother were beginning to wear her thin. Lightning wanted to ask all of these things and more, but they were stuck with the general and mundane.

Lightning tried to make the best of it in asking what she could. "Have you enjoyed living outside of Paradiso all this time?"

"I actually prefer it," Raina confirmed, then Roma straightened with a clearing of her throat. "Not that it matters why," Raina ticked in aggravation, narrowed eyes on her smugness about it. "But where I live is comfortable, quieter than here, and a wonderful little community." Lightning wished she could hear more details than that, but Roma's next.

"Where _have _you been living, Raina?" clarified why she couldn't know any further than that. Raina ticked annoyed eyes her way again.

"This is ridiculous," Jihl finally detested, glaring Roma's way. "Why do you have to be here?"

"Merely a precaution, child," Roma spoke more soothingly, "For your safety and well-being, I assure." She looked at Raina as if daring her to counter it. When Raina frustratingly couldn't say anything against it, Roma reached across the table and patted Lightning's hand. "You'll understand in time, sweetie. Raina has a poisonous tongue."

Raina lifted her eyes to the heavens for patience.

"Yes, well, I'm sure Lightning's leaving would be more frustrating to everyone."

Roma only lifted a cautious eyebrow in response. "Leave Paradiso? That's not very safe for Umbra. Especially halves."

"Raina's got by." Jihl posed in pure challenge.

"Raina is centuries old." Roma said carefully in passing, then, "You would leave your mothers, Jihl? And Paradiso and Fang?"

Jihl shrugged. "Maybe."

Roma seemed rather settled by the answer, which Lightning took as she hadn't bought it. "To each her own choice," Roma's eyes flickered to Lightning in passing as her shallow eyes finally fell to Raina at the brick oven. "That soup coming along, Raina?"

The night passed without answers, but Jihl seemed happier some. Lightning cuddled with her in bed that morning, and hoped Jihl had a plan. They needed one.

**XXX**

Lightning woke again two times through the day for food-getting and finally in the evening again, when Jihl was up and ready to go. "You want to see your mum again?" Jihl asked, already knowing.

Lightning wanted to, but didn't want to hog Jihl's attention with it. "We can stay with your mothers if you want today…"

"Don't be silly," Jihl admonished, "We still have to free your mum."

"You getting an idea for that?" Lightning asked, following her hopefully.

"We'll see," Jihl said. They reported to Cereza about leaving again to go to Roma's and asked if she wanted to come. She couldn't, but kissed them both before they went and told them to stay safe by Raina when they went. Lightning and Jihl arrived at the door to Raina's grateful greeting of hugging them both.

"Thank the Gods you're here," Raina told them softly, clearly exasperated with her captors, then more loudly, "You would like to train at the coliseum girls?"

Roma wasn't happy about it, but she rarely seemed happy by anything anyway. She walked with them to the coliseum, constantly suspicious like a vulture hanging over their heads. When they finally got to the coliseum, Roma took Cybele aside for some harsh words. "Don't you leave their side for an instant," Roma warned with severe intent, "I don't care if one of them's bleeding out on the ground. You do not leave Raina for a moment with either of them. Understand?"

"I know, Roma," Cybele claimed, "I won't leave."

"You better not." Roma threatened, "Don't disappoint me again."

When Roma had left, Cybele returned to the pack of them without seeming distressed. It only made Lightning worry more about the woman, if she could return back with such a straight, unaffected face. "Are you okay?" Lightning asked uncertainly, watching Roma disappear down the far, far bend of the coliseum.

Cybele seemed startled she'd even asked, and her eyes flicked to where Roma had disappeared from. "I'm fine, Lightning," she lied in a convincing tone, "Go train with Jihl and your mother."

Lightning went back to them, though still uneasy. Raina glanced at Cybele too, but didn't say anything as she started showing the ropes to Jihl and Lightning. Lightning watched in astonishment as, in demonstration of their eventual flexibility capabilities, Raina showed them a variety of 'bullet dodging' maneuvers, many of which included the stretching and incredibly talented movements of her long legs, the last of which ended in a scissoring of impossible leg angles.

"Holy fuck, Light." Jihl practically drooled in watching. "Please learn that." Lightning looked over to see Jihl checking out her mom again.

"Would you stop that?" Lightning swatted her belly.

"Pleeease," Jihl begged, "Raina! Teach us that!"

Raina smiled, mutely amused, and began to instruct them in ways of practicing to stretch taut their flexibility, and then move with it. They could come nowhere close to the lucrative moves of Raina, but this one, Jihl seemed entirely focused on training until they got there. "We're going to need it!" Jihl claimed, making Lightning all but roll her eyes concerning this, but she hadn't brought her gunblade, and Jihl only had her heels, so they could practice like this today and do something more… fight-purposeful tomorrow.

In the midst of the immense strain with Jihl trying to stretch her legs back to touch her head repeatedly, Raina stood next to Cybele in looking over them in the field. "They're growing on me fast."

Despite the uncomfortable position stretching her legs a way Lightning knew they weren't supposed to go, Lightning put that aside for the moment and listened to their conversation. "Children do that," Cybele agreed, looking on without checking Raina's direction.

"I haven't seen your little one around," Raina mentioned, then thought it back over and said, "Though, I suppose I haven't seen any of the children since arriving."

"Roma passed her off to Athena for a little while," Cybele shared freely, "An attempt to annoy Selene, undoubtedly. Aura's frequency to faint requires a lot of attention, but Athena's fond of her, so at least there's that."

"Things seem pretty bad." Raina commented offhand.

Cybele sighed. "We did what we deemed we had to, Raina. You know what happened after the war. Even then, our numbers cut by a third in simply sealing Fang, which saved both worlds, if you remember."

"It still sounds like a justification after all these years."

"I won't argue with you, Raina, if that's what you're looking for."

"I'm not," Raina corrected, and revised, "I meant things with Roma when I mentioned."

Cybele sighed and finally lowered her head. "We didn't all heal as well as you did, Raina. Roma's just trying to get by."

"She's hurting you, Cybele."

"What would you do?" Cybele asked in response, and it sounded challenging, her eyes on Raina then, "If it'd been Aletheia who'd gone a dark way back then during the war?" Cybele looked away from her again, not really paying attention to them at all, though Lightning averted her eyes just the same. Who was Aletheia? A past lover, it sounded like. "I have a daughter and another on the way, Raina. Both of them are Roma's. I'd never leave them alone." Cybele lifted her head up and away. "Besides; we deserve it, don't we? We're just a bunch of heartless rapists. Every Umbra should have a Roma lording over her like mine." She said it bitterly, almost spat in distaste.

"It's not too late, Cybele."

"Too late for what, Raina? Us to change our evil ways?" Cybele looked over at her with a smile that held no happiness or lighthearted intent, "You know, I've slept with Fang on exactly one occasion?" Raina's eyebrow rose. "It was right after Jeanne's little ploy of pretending Fang was unfertile had ended. I'll give her credit, she held us at bay for five years with that." Cybele shook her head, "Only a decade and a half after Carme, Roma insisted having another child would fix the broken things in us. And I wanted that too. I wanted my wife."

"What happened? Raina ventured, letting Cybele tell it to her.

Cybele almost laughed, so bitter. "Roma took her after me, and she fell in love with Fang." At Raina's hiked brow, Cybele added. "Not literally, Raina, don't be absurd. Fang was her pleasing sex toy, and even I couldn't bring her that kind of pleasure that Fang did. And I certainly couldn't get her pregnant, so Fang became the favorite thing. She'd stay in bed with her for hours."

"Without you?"

"Oh, I was there every time, but she wasn't making love to me. I'll say she tried to encourage me into it so I could join, but I wasn't as enthused as Roma. More of a spectator than anything, or if Roma wanted to get creative with positioning as a way to draw me in. Poor Fang really had no idea what she was getting into. I caught her crying more than once over those months."

"Why didn't you leave?"

"Hope?" Cybele guessed, "Fear of being alone as an outcast like you? She's still my wife, Raina. You know how she was before. Call me naïve, but it's what I cling to to pass the nights." Cybele breathed out a sigh, "It might take a few more decades, but she'll snap out of it again. I intend to be there when she does."

Lightning couldn't understand that; from what she'd seen of Roma, the woman was purely wicked, but then she hadn't lived for centuries and could hardly contemplate waiting like that.

"I hope you're right, Cybele."

"I am. In a few decades, this all will pass." Cybele lowered her head one last. "I don't know how you've dealt, Raina, but I hope you cherish Lightning. You don't know how lucky you are to have her back."

Raina countered with a gaze straight at her and a little, miniature shake of her head. "I do."


	37. Chapter 37

Roma flitted into the house carelessly, quite happy to see neither of the householders about. Both Jeanne and Cereza had 'important business' to attend to at the front lines of Cocoon tonight. They wouldn't get back until early this morning again, which suited Roma just fine. "Oh, Fang duckling," Roma checked the kitchen first, a high possibility of where she'd be. When she didn't find her, Roma went upstairs instead and opened the door to her soundproof room. There, she found Fang like a sleeping little angel on the large bed. Roma delighted in the sight of her there, and rather than being loud and noisy about her entry, she quietly shut the door behind her.

She would join Fang in bed.

With the Yun already delightfully naked, Roma shed her heavy, tiresome clothes as well in a heap on the floor. She hated wearing those things instead of her beautiful hair, but such was the price. Roma would gladly pay it for another child with Fang.

Kneeling softly onto the bed, which depressed under her weight, Roma knelt into the bed quite precariously so as to disturb her as little as possible. Fang slept on, peacefully oblivious in her dreams. Roma lay in the bed behind her and wrapped an arm around Fang.

"Mmm," Roma cooed, quietly delighted with the heat Fang emanated. She wasn't hard yet. Roma would fix that soon. For the moment, she relished how good Fang felt pressed up to her skin, how warm and inviting and comfortable she made Roma. Roma stroked her belly. "You are a precious thing," she whispered, knowing how sensitive Yun hearing could be. She didn't want Fang to wake just quite yet; not when she felt so comfortable against her body like this.

Roma snugged, Fang laid against her naked torso so comfortably. Nobody brought her this kind of warmth. Not like Fang. Eventually, the fingers lightly brushing Fang's stomach dropped to pet lower around her nether regions instead. She brought ghosting fingers down far enough to touch her balls, which she took in her hands excruciatingly gentle and squeezed.

Fang mewed and tried to shift. Roma's fingers quickly lifted to that rising penis, wanting to feel it inflate in her hand. Fang made another noise and failed to move again. Her eyes opened to stare down. They grew wide in an instant as she reached down a hand and realized Roma's was not her own. "Shhh," Roma coaxed as Fang immediately stiffened in fright. "It's just me, Fang. No reason to be afraid." She licked Fang's cheek where her favorite scars lay, Fang propped up about a foot and a half against her body to match her long height.

"Roma," Fang said, hard like a board, then shuddered when a thumb dragged down her great length. "Is this a dream?"

"You dream about me, Fang?" Roma smiled lazily, quite pleased by the thought. "I'm here this time, baby," Roma lifted a finger all the way to her tip, which she thumbed over to wet. Fang stiffened up again. "Don't worry," Roma purred, "We're going to have some fun."

Fang swallowed, and Roma could sense her nerves ran wire-thin. "When did you get here?" Fang asked, eying straight ahead as Roma fondled her lovingly. "Is… Is Rhea out of the house?"

"Rhea's at Athena's, Fang," Roma informed and felt Fang's great sigh of relief as her body relaxed again. Her heart continued to pound strong. "We have the house to ourselves."

"What way would you like?" Fang asked, shifting a little again as Roma stroked her in a hand.

"You chose tonight," Roma encouraged, feeling light enough to float with Fang. Her worries and cares of this place often disappeared with this woman.

"Okay." Fang agreed without any arguing, and gently pulled free from her grasp to turn around on Roma above her.

"Ooh," Roma smiled up at her, "Such a traditionalist, Fang. Very well."

"Are you ready?" Fang asked.

"I'm always ready for you, Fang." Fang nosed her folds, which felt delightful in and of itself before she'd even entered. "Nice and slow," Roma commanded fondly with an eye-sparkling smile. "You've already got me pregnant. I just need some good sex."

Fang nodded and took it slow, so wonderfully slow, Roma could feel every aching stretch being quenched as Fang's irreplaceable, warm dick slid into her where it belonged. "That's wonderful, Fang," Roma breathed in utter relief. This had been a wonderful idea; not only would Raina be pissed beyond belief, she hadn't realized how desperately she'd been craving excellent sex from Fang. But now that the woman had entered, Roma knew she needed her pumping.

Grabbing Fang's shoulder, she pulled her down to kiss and savored that mouth on her starving lips, lips that'd called for this since she'd touched Fang's mouth yesterday. Roma gripped one of her hands, needing this so badly. She couldn't even orgasm with Cybele anymore, but Fang made her _want _to come with every touch. "Oh, Fang," Roma breathed, and Fang pumped in and out of her once, so deliciously slow. "Yes," Roma loved it with every second, "Keep doing that." Clapping a hand to the back of Fang's neck, she dragged her down for more kisses to cherish. Her toes curled, legs spread wide for Fang.

"That's perfect," Roma moaned, filling with Fang's infectious lust. It seeped through her like a creeping flood that brimmed Roma full to bursting. She gripped Fang's shoulders, nails digging in, but Fang, bless her soul, didn't even waver in pleasuring. And when Roma hit that peak of no return, Fang gushed into her so wickedly hot, Roma stiffened in her long moan, throbbing for every second of it.

"Fang," she panted, wanting to cry in relief. She loosened her nails from Fang's shoulders to wrap her arms around her instead. And her legs. She tangled their legs, not letting that beautiful dick go for a second. Roma buried her face in the flesh of Fang's neck. "You're so good," Roma breathed in utter content. "So good, Fang. You beautiful, amazing being."

Fang let herself be held, then lifted her arms around Roma's back the way she loved it best. Fang stared into her with green eyes of the most precious viridian Roma had ever seen, and the most arousing aphrodisiac known to woman in those eyes. Roma lowered a hand to brush back her uniquely-colored strands that stood so wild on her head. "Did you like it, sweetie?"

"It was very good," Fang replied, and it made Roma frown as she pet her face.

"Use different words, and say my name."

Fang considered but a few seconds before she said, "I enjoy my time with you, Roma. I like it very much."

"That's better," Roma smiled up at her pretty face. "When I'm with you like this alone, use my name, Fang."

"Yes, Roma."

"Well, we'll have to work on your pleasure, Fang. You're a terrible liar, you know." Fang was quiet. Roma brushed her hair back. "Let's have another round, Fang. I have plenty of time to work on pleasuring you tonight."

"Okay, Roma." Fang obeyingly complied. "Ready?"

**XXX**

Hours passed by that felt much too fast with her mother, Lightning and Jihl finally trekked home with Raina and Cybele at their backs. Roma's companion proved a lot more open than her counterpart, though she still hushed Raina if she mentioned anything too close. Lightning could understand that, considering her wife, and had far less inclination to get Cybele in any kind of trouble.

Though still restricted from speaking of what mattered, she and Jihl had had a relatively good time with her mother after Lightning and Jihl overheard the story from the sidelines. Raina had intervened in their stretching, saying Jihl might break Lightning's legs if she kept it up, and they'd moved on to a different kind of combat: hand to hand which, aside from a few, expected gropes from Jihl, Lightning rather liked. If not for a practical sense, it'd been good fun anyway, and even Cybele had joined them for demonstration with her mother.

All in all, for another unprogressive day of chatting, Lightning had rather enjoyed their time spent, and Jihl seemed pleased too with the way their night had gone as well. They remained light of spirit for the duration of the night.

Until they got home, and found Roma in their kitchen with Fang at the table, faced turned away from them at the door. "Roma," Raina's voice went deadly in an instant by her unexpected appearance, "What are you doing here?"

"What's it look like, Raina?" Roma brushed off, "Fang's exhausted. I'm merely making her a meal to cure her energy up. Isn't that right, Fang? You do like your Gui, don't you?"

Raina's heels clicked against the floor as she stepped towards Fang with purpose, and Lightning found it abhorrent that Roma knew Fang's favorite meat.

"Roma," Cybele said softly, quiet, "You didn't…"

Raina took Fang's chin in her hands and turned her face to look at her. Lightning couldn't see behind her, and Fang turned back away before she could, but nobody could mistake the rage on Raina's face.

"Raina!" Cybele squawked in protest, but Raina was at Roma in an instant, who turned with a cocky smile as Raina shoved a gun to her chin.

"If you so much as breathe on her again, I swear by seven hells, I will shoot you down in this kitchen," Raina snarled, shoving it into her throat.

"Be realistic, Raina," Roma smiled faintly, "You're not going to touch me. For all your talk, you have no brawn. That's why you're still standing here making threats."

Raina struck her. It happened so fast and thunderous, Roma's head snapped to the side with a crack. Lightning saw blood and even with Umbra durability, she reckoned Roma's jaw had snapped, and was surprised her neck hadn't snapped with it.

"Raina!" Cybele was on her in an instant, grabbing Raina around the chest to pull her back. Raina didn't seem to care or even notice. Fang stood too in utter alarm, and Lightning could finally see what Raina had. Teeth had bitten so hard into her neck and lip, she bled, skin marred by deep purplish mottling with bleeding imprints already starting to heal with the shape of teeth that'd dug in.

"Look at her one more time, Roma. I dare you."

Roma's eyes flashed so black on Raina, Lightning almost forgot the blood streak from her cheek with eyes so purely black, she could melt skin off a being. Lightning expected her mother to be zapped to nothingness within a second. "You," she hissed, and her teeth started changing, elongating in preparation to take another form.

"For fuck's sake," Jihl muttered incredulously as she pushed past Lightning into the room. Lightning made to grab for her; this wasn't a place safe for anyone, but then Jihl uttered what froze everyone. "I'm fucking pregnant." Lightning froze along with everyone at the loud announcement that turned heads. She stared at Jihl in horror and acute incredulous. "Yeah," Jihl confirmed when she'd gathered all their attention, "So it doesn't really fucking matter what Raina thinks, does it? Because I'm obviously not going anywhere, and neither is Lightning. But it'd be real fucking nice if we could talk to her about it now."

Roma's face shifting back from the transformation that had been about to take her, she held a green-glowing hand to her jaw and fixed it back in place before rasping. "We haven't sensed Ragnarok in you, girl. You're lying."

"Yes, like I was lying yesterday when Witch Walking made me nauseous and you hit Cybele in front of two half-Yuns." Jihl answered snidely, making Roma's eyes flash dangerously. Jihl plainly offered, "You really want to take this to the council, Roma? Be my guest. I look forward to how you're going to explain fucking Fang on my mother's time in the Elder's house when you're already pregnant."

Roma's eyebrow lifted with a hint of anxiety in her eyes of cold lead. "You want to let us talk to Raina now or what?"

Roma's eyes narrowed on her so thin. "You have five minutes."

Jihl snorted. "We actually have however long we want, but okay, Captain. As long as you do whatever council nonsense you have to to stop vulturing over Raina by tomorrow, that's fine." She waited a beat, then issued, "You can leave now."

"Watch yourself, child." Roma's narrowed eyes glinted as a gun-heeled stepped out. Jihl rolled her eyes and let the woman walk out with it. Cybele silently followed. Lightning could barely do anything but gawk.

"Good Gods," Jihl finally breathed, turning around to Lightning again. "Way to make a pregnant girl aggr— _oomph," _Jihl puffed at the full-body hug she folded into from Lightning.

"You're amazing," Lightning whispered, encircling her front without other words she could express off her tongue.

"Well," Jihl paused as she sniffed the air. "Are you wet?"

"Yes." Lightning didn't even care, she loved her so much. "Jihl…"

Jihl made a surprised sound as she shifted, and Lightning realized her mother's arms as they wrapped as far as Lightning in hugging Jihl from the other side.

"Ooh, now I'm a sandwich," Jihl claimed with a smile. "Where's Fang? This sandwich needs a side-bun and I'm in paradise." Lightning didn't even mind it and clung to her tightly.

"You're brave and sweet, Jihl." Raina told her from behind. Though Fang didn't join them for a group hug, probably too uncomfortable to do such a family-like thing, especially with her boner, she was there when Lightning and Raina finally released to say to Jihl.

"Thank you," she voiced sincerely. "You didn't have to stick up for me like that."

"It's okay, Fang," Jihl glimpsed her pants and offered her a knowing look. "If you need to, you can go upstairs to clear that for a little bit. Light and I can get you when the food is done."

Conflicted gratitude stacked, Fang asked with much uncertainty. "Are you sure? I can stay and… help."

"We know how you like it, Fang," Jihl assured, though of the instances of late in which Fang had offered food and assistance to Jihl, Lightning knew her asking to stay had been borne out of increasing concern for Jihl's pregnancy. But Jihl was right; who knew what Roma had done to her for hours. Fang needed some relief. "Promise to empty the salt shaker on it."

Fang bowed her head a little further, still conflicted. "Thank you, Jihl. Really… thanks." Fang left without another word, and Lightning couldn't help but be proud of her girl. She didn't know what'd spiked this instance of sympathy for Fang, but it warmed her fully to see it as Fang left away to her bedroom again.

"We only have a minute," Raina pointed out, kneeling before Lightning quickly on a raised knee to look straight into her face on those long legs. "I have so much to tell you tomorrow, Claire." She lifted a hand to her dark strands and brushed them back.

"Me too, Mom." Lightning confessed, glimpsing Jihl with such gratitude that they'd finally be able to discuss these things. "I have so many questions…"

"I know," Raina tucked the strands behind her ears. "And I'll answer everything." Raina promised, "You mean the world to me, Claire. You must know that, at least." Lightning lowered her eyes in such frailty by the words. Only two other people cared about her such a way, and one, she wasn't even sure… "And I approve of your girlfriend," Raina added so that she glimpsed up to see her smile and Jihl's, who wore one close to a shit-eating grin.

"Thanks, Mom," Lightning confessed, moving in to hug her when Raina's arms spread for her to hug solely.

"I love you, Claire," Raina breathed so truthfully warming, Lightning could feel it as strong as the sorrow she'd held when they'd revealed they'd been raped. Lightning hugged her and said it back just out of happenstance of feeling. Raina almost had tears in her eyes when she kissed her cheek and pulled away.

"I'll be back as soon as they free me with their petty meetings," Raina promised, then added to Jihl. "Thank you for providing it."

"Happy to help," Jihl said with a smile before Raina left them, someone waiting at the door already. They were gone in another minute. "Oh man," Jihl groaned when everybody had gone but them. "I really want to have sex."

Lightning lifted her eyes in fond exasperation. "You know sex isn't really a pregnancy craving. I doubt your baby is demanding 'Jihl, have more sex!'"

"You want to speak that to my vag? Maybe she'll hear you better." Jihl grunted in dissatisfaction, "Leave your tongue thee while you're at it."

Lightning grinned with a shake of her head.


	38. Chapter 38

"Ohh," Jihl moaned in disbelief, crossing and squeezing her aching legs. "What did you do to my vag?" She mewled.

"What I did?" Lightning balked in disbelief, undergoing similar pain. "You stretched my legs taut yesterday and _then _kept me half the day," Lightning moaned, curled as her spoon. "You had to insist on those stretches. Ugh."

"I need a massage," Jihl whimpered, curled feebly to her girl, whole back aching along with her legs. How many times had she clamped down on Lightning yesterday? Jihl had lost count.

"I want a bath," Lightning murmured in equal pain, or maybe a little more if Jihl was being honest.

"Massages first," Jihl ordered, "Then I'll carry you to the bath."

"…okay," Lightning groaned as she moved to extract herself from Jihl's spooning. The movements sounded painful of themselves. Jihl flopped to her front gratefully while Lightning sat up with her aches.

"Do it hard," Jihl commanded, practically wet for it, she wanted Lightning's hands rubbing into her so bad. If she could be wet anyway. She had little desire to this morning to get that way. Lightning's hands touched her back and Jihl gasped, flattening to the squishy bed as fingers dug into her muscle and skin so painful and yet good, it made her want to cry.

Jihl moaned as Lightning found the knots and crushed into them, smoothing out her poor, tender back. "Help," Jihl mumbled, limp and spent as a rag, unable to even lift a finger against Lightning to stop her in this pain. It'd feel better later, she knew, but good gods. "Liiight."

"These are all your flexibility poses," Lightning pointed out gruffly, working her way down to Jihl's legs, which made her twitch when she reached them.

"We'll get better," Jihl said, struggling to remember and focus on the bliss of yesterday. Damn, Raina had made it seem so easy. "Your mom's so hot."

Lightning sighed and pressed into her legs. "You better make it better with your fingers. How am I supposed to focus with Mom when I can't get my mind off what you did to me yesterday?"

Jihl smiled faintly into the pillows. "You liked it too."

"Hard not to like your girlfriend's legs around your neck."

"Mmm," Jihl agreed, just getting her mind settled into it away from the pain. "Good stuff."

"Okay," Lightning finally said after her ten minutes were up. "My turn."

"Your noises might turn me on," Jihl warned, picking up from the bed as Lightning settled back down for her treatment.

"Don't you dare," Lightning mumbled in warning, making Jihl smile again. As predicted, Lightning made the most lyrical, arousing noises with her hands digging into skin. Jihl went fast to work on providing Lightning's relief as well. Lightning sighed in content, and moaned at the hard spots where Jihl worked in, quite grateful for Umbra strength which made controlling certain spots very much easier to press in. "Lightning," Jihl finally said when she'd worked her well for a few minutes.

"Hmm?" Lightning murmured. Jihl bit her lip against the recollection of why they'd been celebrating last night.

"Yesterday," Jihl said, meaning it, and dallied another few seconds before she finally had the nerve to mention this with her sensitive girlfriend. "You don't…" Jihl scratched that and tried to phrase it less opinionated. She ended up just being frank. "I don't want to be like Roma."

"Like Roma?" Lightning turned to her on her side, brows drawn together tightly. "You're nothing like her, Jihl."

Jihl almost snorted at the immediate defense, but she wanted Lightning to know sincerely. It'd bothered her when she saw it, and it was bothering her again now. "No, Light, you're nothing like her. I come closer than that."

"Is this about Fang?" Lightning asked, sitting up as she ignored the rest of her massage.

"Yes," Jihl finally confessed, jaw tightening in discomfort at the way Lightning looked at her. "You saw how she treated Fang," Jihl pointed out, "Like she was a dog on a leash. I did the same thing, Light. And it wasn't for your reasoning."

"You feel guilty," Lightning picked out, eyes surprised, and it kind of hurt that they were.

"Not like you," Jihl told, wanting to be fully honest, and felt a little worse about it. Was she wishing for guilt? Gods, what had Lightning done to her in this place? "But I don't want to turn out like Roma did." It sent a shiver down her spine, thinking she could eventually become that bad. It'd been a good thing Lightning woke up from it when she had. Jihl would've just kept going otherwise.

Their values were different; Jihl had Lightning, and Roma valued power, but both had simply made Fang a means to an end. "You'll watch me, right? Make sure I don't ever… get that bad?"

Lightning hugged her instead.

**XXX**

Jihl came downstairs first and alone, both of them figuring Raina must not have come yet, else she'd have awoken them already. With Lightning still sore and bent up from yesterday, Jihl had volunteered to get them breakfast today. Well, breakfast at the start of night anyway… but it was a normal calendar for Umbra to be up most of the night, so Jihl was making the effort with Lightning to keep their schedules that way.

Her poor mothers. Jihl could imagine how little they'd slept the first few weeks of her coming in with Lightning. At least they'd get some more rest now, she hoped. Hopefully, everything would be better with Raina again.

Jihl ventured into the cellar and found an unexpected pack rat down there. "Hi, Fang," Jihl ventured, almost making the poor thing drop the foods she'd gathered in surprise.

"Jihl!" Fang said, gathering them up quickly.

"Sorry we couldn't join you for dinner last night," Jihl apologized for that, "Lightning told you I dragged her away for sex?"

"She did," Fang confirmed, picking the last of her things down there, "And it's okay. It was… nice of you to finish my Gui beforehand."

"Mmm," Jihl surveyed her bundle with a raised eyebrow. Two cabbages, peas, carrots, broccoli, almonds, and a chunk of cheese. "Looks like you're preparing something awfully green, Fang."

Fang glanced down at the ingredients in her arms that substantially lacked in what she usually ate. "I was going to make chicken salads," Fang finally admitted to Jihl's raised eyebrow. "Because you finished my dinner yesterday," Fang added lamely, where they both knew otherwise.

"You really don't have to keep doing this, you know." Jihl said in going over to her and taking a few of the awkward balance from her arms.

"I want to," Fang avoided her eyes, guilty of the catering in a way they both knew.

"You're sweet, Fang," Jihl told, lightening her load. "Try not to stress yourself out about it. I'm eating enough."

"Okay," Fang agreed quietly.

"That wasn't a command," Jihl revised so she would know. "If you want to," Jihl smiled lightly, "I'm not complaining about it. But you don't have to, okay?"

"You didn't have to stick your neck out for me either yesterday." Fang murmured in response.

"I sort of did." Fang began following her back up the stairs, Jihl acutely aware of the sweet woman behind her. She only then noticed the raw chickens on the table that she'd completely passed up in heading for the cellar. "Fang," Jihl mentioned, not facing her as she deposited her things on the table. "For whatever it's worth…" Jihl offered with a sigh, "I'm sorry for screwing you with Lightning."

Fang didn't say anything for a moment, but then Jihl felt a hand in the middle of her back that made her stiffen before Fang deposited her things on the table too. "Thanks." Fang simply said, grabbed two of the chickens, and walked away again.

Jihl breathed out in relief. She wasn't a guilt-master like Lightning, and particularly glad Fang wasn't drawing it out. The woman was a breath of fresh air in that at least; Jihl didn't stand awkward tensions as well as Lightning did. "I didn't know what you'd like best in the salad," Fang said, ending it with finality, "You can take whatever you like; I'm just having chicken and some bread."

"Not a green-eater at all, huh?"

"I'm surprised you still are," Fang pointed out, "Cereza went on a strictly meat and breads diet when she was having Rhea. The shift from so little to so much really took her off guard about it. You've been transitioning appetites very well."

What might've been an awkward topic, Fang spoke about with ease of normal conversation. Jihl was grateful for that too; she wasn't trying to guilt her about it or anything. Jihl had never quite taken the time Lightning had to grow to like the woman, but she liked this side of Fang, a little more out of her politeness than usual. "Lightning's always been a food hog; it probably helps that I've seen her eat so much first."

"She inherited her dad's appetite."

Jihl glanced over at the casual mention, but Fang didn't glance back from the chicken. Maybe it'd been a slip. "You know Lightning's father?"

Fang paused in what she was doing for just a second. "Not very much," she finally confessed, "Mostly only from mentions Raina's made about her."

"Do you know who she is?" Jihl asked, not at all bothered or surprised to hear the woman reference.

"I think Raina ought to tell you about her," Fang said, "It's one of the things she'd have discussed with Lightning the first day she could if she'd been able."

"Well," Jihl allowed then, "I suppose we'll find out today."

"Pretty cute what you said to her," Jihl glanced back again to see Fang kneeling before the stone oven now with a small, barely-present, hint of a quirk to her lips.

"You liked that, did you?"

"I think your Yun half was showing," Fang lowered in the first chicken, then added. "If you don't mind the speculation."

It actually made Jihl smile. "Not at all. I suppose I do have a Yun father out there, huh?"

"A willing one," Fang added without bitterness, "She might even know you're alive. Yuns used to offer fatherhood to Umbra couples all the time. Jeanne and Cereza went to your dad when they thought you'd died; I wouldn't put it past them that they found her again if just to inform her you're still okay and alive."

"Yuns had been okay with just giving an Umbra couple children?" Jihl asked in cutting her greens, interested in these bits from Fang.

"Oh yeah," Fang nodded, "Yun culture is different than Umbra. They have children out of wedlock all the time and decide which parent will keep the kids if they're not Courting. It's weird if you don't, actually."

"All willing?" Jihl just checked, reminded of Cocoon where few men shared many women for the pure purpose of pregnancy.

"It is," Fang assured more somberly, "Children are cherished in Gran Pulse, but Yuns don't make each other have them if they don't want kids. It's not like it is in Cocoon between the tribes."

They tread a thin line; while it was acknowledged and understood the Umbra seemed to be the only ones who didn't obey that, Fang closed up fast whenever it was mentioned, which Jihl didn't want right now. "Well, good." Jihl nodded, steering the conversation away from that. "Your clan are hunters, right?"

"The best of Gran Pulse," Fang boasted, and Jihl might've been mistaken, but she thought she heard a small hint of pride when Fang had said it, which wasn't something Jihl had ever heard from Fang before. "All tribes are known for some special talent or talents that they surpass against others; that's ours."

"I know Lightning was mesmerized with you and that behemoth," Jihl agreed, "Maybe you can show us some moves sometime. Lightning would probably really like that."

"Maybe." Fang agreed more quietly in a reserved way.

"Something smells green," a little voice with a scrunched nose announced as Rhea came into the kitchen. Fang's eyes lit a little more as they picked up on Rhea in the kitchen. Jihl smiled faintly. She didn't get it often, but maybe Fang could have a pleasant day for a change.

**XXX**

"You're beautiful," Lightning breathed, kissing Jihl on the lips as her girlfriend deposited a plate of chicken and potato before her while soaking in the hot tub. Her fresh sores ached so bad wih Jihl's doing, but the plate was so nicely smelling, she couldn't hold the extra round against her that morning.

"I know."

"Mom's not back yet?"

"Not yet, but Fang said Mums went off only a little bit ago to Roma's, so hopefully they come back with her."

"Fang was downstairs?"

Jihl nodded, "She made the chicken for us, and she's in a good mood today. Good omen for the day, hopefully."

"That'd be nice," Lightning agreed, laying back, then looked at her. "Do you want to join me?"

"Your magic fingers did me well enough," Jihl passed off, happy to sit at the side of the tub beside her woman. She touched Lightning's head instead and soothed fingers through her damp hair that hadn't yet gotten soaked in the water. She stared at the black strands fondly, remembering their pink tone with a smile.

"I'm still not pro-pink," Lightning warned to keep her ideas from spreading.

"You're so pretty with it."

"Considering I'm aching with limited use of my legs in a bathtub, I'd think the last thing I need is to give you more reasons to top."

Jihl chuckled with a warm grin. "I'd let you top me pink."

"Uh-huh." Lightning wasn't buying it.

Jihl stroked her hair anyway. "It's okay," she forgave, "Black or pink, I'll still give your legs a run."

"Clearly." Lightning laid back her head again, "Jihl, when my mom comes… stick with me, okay?"

"You've nothing to be nervous about." Jihl kissed the side of her head. "I promise."


	39. Chapter 39

"Order!" Jeanne hollered, shooting up her pistol in aggravation to the open roof, "We will have order, Sisters! Enough!" the room quieted to her demand. Jeanne's heated eyes turned up to Roma in the loft above, standing proud in her maternal robes without a hint of shame about her. "Roma," Jeanne addressed, hard-pressed to control her immense anger to the woman. Now that the deed had been spoken, and the Umbra chattered in aghast or unsurprised or whatever will had taken them, their right to decision making had been locked.

Poor Cybele stood standing next to Roma in her place as Fourth, a little worse for wear around the edges, but otherwise, anyone walking in wouldn't be able to tell she was the point of all sympathy and wary glimpses in the room. "How do you defend yourself?"

"Defend myself?" Roma scoffed, "We have all felt Fang's great pull. She is as arousing to us as we are to her; it's the very reason her makeup has crafted her that way. Should I be sorry that I ran across Fang in the gardens, struck up conversation, and felt the pull of her base arousal to us? I refuse to be, Jeanne."

"That's not how it happened!" Raina thundered from the ground floor, unpermitted a seat.

"Really, Raina? You were there to see us, were you?"

"Roma," Jeanne cut off sharply, "Fang's statement reads waking up with you in her bed, fondling her with no mention of garden walks or any of the sort. You have not answered this."

"I don't blame her if she forgot how we came together, Jeanne. She met me in hard passion; is it a wonder her memory fogged over the time of us coming together?"

"It is a wonder to some of us, Roma," Thalia directed in pure rage of challenging, "When Fang hasn't been known to display any sort of passion-induced memory blanks before. Particularly worrying when such a 'blank' would've come only with you."

"Further," Jeanne pressed before she could defend anything on that count ridiculously, sharing Thalia's rage to this. "You are already endowed with Fang's child. You have no reason to seek forced comfort from her, aroused or not. Fang is utilized for the purpose of reproduction, _not _to pleasure us whenever we feel the need for sex to which you stand at a count of adultery to your wife."

"I've pressed no such charge, Jeanne." Cybele suddenly said, glimpsing Roma at her side, she swallowed. "Drop that from the records, please."

Roma stepped towards the rail and laid a hand over Cybele's. Cybele didn't look her way, but she didn't move her hand either.

"Cybele!" The Twelfth shouted in protest. "You cannot— "

"My personal affairs are my own, Nerites," Cybele cut off quickly. "They are not a council charge to be openly pried into. Drop the charge, and cut that record, Galene." Their resident record-keeper slipped a silvery sliver from the small globe of memories she held and crushed it in a hand.

Jeanne sighed in aggravation over it. Cybele had stood through much with Roma, but she'd hoped this might rattle the woman enough to shake of it a little bit. Obviously not enough to press into it before the council. "Be that as it may, Roma. Your citings do not match Fang's. Whether she forgot your meeting that morning or not, neither scenario suggests a better light. The end point being, you ended up in my house, spending hours with Fang under my time, exhausting and even injuring Fang under my guardianship for no procreation but your own pleasure to stand as reason. You have no defense against the deed, aside from an aura we all feel from Fang, and admit to the pleasuring for this reason?"

"I find it interesting, Jeanne." Roma spoke, drawing all eyes to her. "You say Fang is not for our pleasuring, which can be figured agreeable to certain extents without circumstance drawing to it. Yet yesterday, your daughter Jihl claimed brazenly of her pregnancy, is that incorrect?"

Jeanne fumed. Jihl's pregnancy had been bound to crop up as a centerpiece of attention eventually, but Roma's misguiding to lead the Umbra attention to some other matter infuriated her over the revelation of her daughter. "Order!" Jeanne shot again to the ceiling until they calmed enough to hear her speak, or shout, more like. "Our second point of discussion has nothing to do with the accusation against you, Roma."

"Doesn't it?" Roma smiled faintly, "Because when Jihl revealed her pregnancy, she sounded quite sure of it, as if it'd been something she'd figured out for some time now. Even if you hadn't known, Jeanne," Roma said like it was a crime not to reveal her daughter to this bloody council, "I distinctly remember coming upon Fang in your house just the day before. She was hard as stones, the poor thing, so I suggested she relieve herself by visiting Lightning. It's curious how, when Lightning had originally brought Jihl upstairs to tuck her in, both girls returned a good while later, flushed with heat. I distinctly remember Lightning's calling to us, 'Jihl had other ideas.'"

Jeanne felt livid. She hadn't been there, but knew distinctly her girls had stopped having sex with Fang. Roma's attempt to drag Jihl under her same blanket left the taste of acid on her tongue. The problem being, she hadn't been a witness, and a mother's word against that of the likes of Roma stood flimsy. Roma twisted everything.

"She was hard because you kissed her!" Raina barked from her ground position, infuriated as Jeanne. "You ordered her to make out with you for your own pleasure and for mere display to me. You have no proof Fang even went to them after!"

"Do you deny what Lightning spoke upon returning, Raina?"

"She could've meant between her and Jihl only!"

"And did you hear Fang refute for the reason that she didn't pleasure either of them anymore?"

Raina rapidly lost ground. Jeanne could barely believe this. "Roma, there is no evidence either of our daughters slept with Fang again that night, and even if they did, Lightning is not pregnant and permitted to sleep with Fang."

Roma sighed deeply, as if resigned, "I would agree with you, Jeanne, but for Lightning's very statement. 'Jihl' had other ideas..." Roma seemed to come to something then of her own, and Jeanne couldn't tell if she feigned the realization or not. "Does this additionally mean Lightning is still trying for pregnancy, Jeanne? If so, we need extra precaution on Raina to keep her deadly influence from these girls, and if not, well," Roma shrugged, "I suppose your daughter Jihl just wanted Fang for sex, then. Shame." Roma smiled faintly, "Go on then, Jeanne. Sentence me, then. I suppose your girl will be taking the same punishment?"

It'd all been a trap, and Jeanne had fallen headlong into it.

"You are assuming Jihl's guilt, Roma." Selene unexpectedly defended, "I give the girls more credit than that," she said, meaning more than she gave Roma. "I actually had a pleasant chat with Lightning the other day. No pregnancy had been mentioned, and she seemed enthused about the prospect of one. Who says Lightning isn't still trying?"

Jeanne's veins crawled with ice. She should've known nothing Selene would say could make the situation any better. She was stuck at a junction: either pervade the lie that Lightning wanted a pregnancy, or mark Jihl as guilty with this supposed sexing with Fang. Worse, Jeanne didn't even know if the instance of sex was a lie or not. Jihl had told her that they'd stopped having sex with Fang, and Lightning felt guilty enough to stop a truck with it, but her own daughter… Jihl hadn't shown remorse over the act of it, only worry for Lightning.

Could she have really summoned Fang back to their bedroom?

Jeanne felt sick just thinking it of her daughter and denied it vehemently in her head. Jihl wouldn't lie to them, and ask Lightning to go through that kind of guilt again. She wouldn't.

But deep in her troubled heart, Jeanne remembered the lowering of Jihl's eyes, not in shame, in mere disquiet at being told off about it.

"You're both assuming things," Araidne snapped, "I've still seen no proof that the girls had sex with Fang, only circumstantial evidence of it from the very woman we are accusing." Bless her, Jeanne thought. She wished she had a council of Araidnes. "We can discuss Lightning and Jihl's supposed discrepancies at another time, or merely ask Fang. The girl isn't known to lie; we'll simply settle that task in asking. As for now, I suggest an immediate return to the claims at hand, if you Sisters please. Roma needs sentencing."

Jeanne appreciated her so much, but at the back of her mind, she feared it was a sentencing Jihl could perhaps be sharing with the woman. That limited the harshest options in every way. Jeanne would love to ban Roma for her vicious and self-serving discrepancies and keep her from Fang, but if she did that and Jihl turned out guilty as well…

It'd turned into a question of how much she trusted Jihl's integrity, and this instance didn't bode well with past experience. Jeanne lowered her head as chatter began amongst her sisters back and forth concerning their predicament. It came down to one thing.

Her daughter wasn't a Roma.

Knot solidifying in her chest, she looked to Cereza beside her and whispered quietly. "The banning?"

Cereza nodded stiffly once with no hesitation, and it shamed Jeanne. She'd take Cereza's hand now, if it wouldn't be considered a weakness to prod by the more vicious of her sisters. "Sisters," Jeanne addressed again finally, "We have heard the arguments. I put it to a vote; do you support my decision in banning Roma from Fang until this council judges that she is redeemed enough to be allowed privileges once again?"

Roma wasn't the only one surprised by it. Persephone spoke out softly on her behalf. "Jeanne… you know we cannot show leniency one way if your daughter is found guilty of the same deed."

"Jihl did not sleep with Fang, Persephone." Jeanne said with conviction.

Persephone nodded, allowing her that when Jeanne raised her gun and shot into the heavens. Fourteen shots followed into the heavens, including every Umbra but Techne and Hecate. Jeanne silently wished Cybele the best, who didn't look at anyone when she raised her gun into the air. She was glad the woman had gotten to do it regardless, at least showing Roma hadn't beaten everything out of her yet.

"Jeanne," Nephelai spoke after the vote, "If you say your daughter is pregnant, we believe it, but might I suggest we send Persephone over to your home with you to inquire of Lightning, Jihl, and Fang? If Lightning's answer is wanton, Raina needs monitoring. If Fang claims neither of them shared her bed, there is no reason to keep Raina under guard. She is with your daughter, and will not leave if Jihl is pregnant, nor be subject to any influencing thereof."

"And if Jihl desired Fang," Roma added bitingly, "We'll be relocating your daughter, Jeanne. For the duration that you have Fang."

Jeanne felt cold; it was a half victory, and if Jihl could be trusted after all, it would be a full one. Jeanne prayed she'd made the right decision in banning.

Persephone followed them home and put a hand on Jeanne's shoulder in comforting. Cereza held her other hand. When they reached the house again, Raina and Cereza were forced to wait outside. Jeanne went in only to greet her daughter and explain when she came to the door with Lightning.

"Jihl," Jeanne hoped she didn't sound as strained as she felt, "Persephone's going to ask you and Lightning some questions. Answer them truthfully, okay?"

Jihl glanced nervously at the tall, faded blonde haired Umbra behind her mother. "Okay…"

"Do you know where Fang is?" Jeanne asked patiently.

"With Rhea in the back." Lightning volunteered. "I can get her."

"I'll get her," Persephone said instead, "And send Rhea your way, Jeanne. Will you girls wait in your room for me?"

Jihl cast another furtive glance to her mother. "It'll be okay, Jihl, Lightning." Jeanne assured them to leave.

When the girls had left, Persephone nodded back to the door behind Jeanne. "I'll be back soon, Jeanne."

**XXX**

"After kissing Roma, how did you relieve yourself, Fang?"

"I went to my room." Fang answered simply, "It eventually went away."

Persephone glimpsed Fang's boner, currently present in sitting next to her even. "You didn't shower, masturbate, or have sex, Fang?"

"No," Fang replied with a scrunch of her eyebrows. "Have sex with who?"

"Lightning, specifically, or Jihl."

"They stopped having sex with me days ago." And then offered for an explanation, "Jihl's pregnant."

"Yes, we know." Persephone finally nodded, and paused a moment longer to ask. "Fang, why didn't you tell Roma no when she asked for sex the next day?"

"I wouldn't refuse an Umbra," Fang replied respectfully, polite tone returning. Persephone lifted a hand to her back.

"That's all, Fang. Jeanne and Cereza are in the front if you want to talk to them."

"Okay," Fang responded, not even asking what the whole sit down was about. Persephone watched their trained little puppy go, then stepped back to the house for confirmation she knew she'd receive, happy for once to see Roma duped on her schemes.

**XXX**

"Jihl," Jeanne finally breathed, taking the girl in her arms and wrapping her in an instant hug tightly outside the front door. Persephone came out with her and Lightning, and finally told the poor mothers.

"Jeanne, she's faultless." Then looked to Raina next and said, "And you're free, Raina. Please don't antagonize by going near the rest of our children.

"I don't need the rest of your children," Raina said, picking up Lightning into her grasp like she was a small thing.

"I'm sorry for the trouble, Jeanne." Persephone left, and Jeanne's heart was near to bursting in her kneel squeezing Jihl.

"Don't do that again," Jeanne pleaded with her daughter. "Don't oppose Roma like that, Jihl, please."

"I had to, Mum," Jihl apologized in the midst of a squeezing. "I'm sorry." Jeanne just held her tighter, wishing her daughter weren't so brave to scare her silly the way she always did. Cereza's calming arms laced around them both in reassurance. "I won't have to do it again, Mum," Jihl tried to say, "Lightning's got Raina now."

"Gods," Jeanne lifted up in curse or prayer, clinging to Jihl. "Why do my children scare me so bad."

"Mummy, what's wrong?" Rhea asked innocently, "Didn't it all work out, Mum?" the family hug left them all spent, most of all Jeanne who tried to keep telling herself the worst of it was over again. Raina was free.

"Mom…" Lightning asked after being surrounded in her arms too. "Can we…"

"Yes," Raina gushed in relief. "I have so much to tell you, Claire. Jeanne, do you mind if I grab your girl away for a little?"

Jeanne finally released, overcome with relief. "Thank you for being such a daughter, Jihl."

Jihl smiled tentatively, still not altogether filled in about what had happened, but Raina had things to say to her daughter now, and above anything, Jeanne trusted Jihl with whatever they might say. Running fond fingers through her daughter's long, worn hair, she issued. "Go ahead." And couldn't have been a prouder mother that day.


	40. Chapter 40

"I have a sister?" Lightning asked in astonishment.

"Is she hot?" Jihl blurted, drawing both their eyes with lifted brows that almost mirrored each other's. "Oh, come on," Jihl pleaded for some understanding, "Sister, Lightning…" they didn't connect the pieces, "What was your first thought anyway?" Jih grumbled.

"Excuse her," Lightning asked, returning eyes to her mother, "She's disturbed sometimes."

"It's totally why the Umbra call each other 'Sisters.'" Jihl mumblingly defended.

Raina seemed amused more than anything when she glanced Jihl's way in saying, "She's thirteen."

"Same age I deflowered Lightning," Jihl mumbled, and Lightning's eyes billowed at the joke.

Raina actually laughed, increasing Lightning's mortification. "Would you stop it?" Lightning gasped, clutching her arm to hush her.

"What?" Jihl demanded, "You started it with the sisters' thing!"

"Claire, she's precious," Raina chuckled.

"Hear that? I'm precious," Jihl bragged, extracting her grip from her arm.

"You'd love Farron, Jihl." Raina told with a smile.

"That doesn't sound reassuring at all," Lightning said with a suspicious, accusing look to Jihl.

"You will too, Claire," Raina reassured after, smiling at her, "And Serah's heard about you so many times in our stories. We came together over you, you know."

"How?" Lightning asked, "I thought the Umbra only went to Yuns when they wanted children."

"That's usually how it works," Raina agreed, "You won't hear from the other Umbra about the possibility of falling for a Yun. It's a little incomprehensible to them."

"Because Yuns are held in less regard?" Lightning asked, wanting to know everything from her mother's lips, who seemed to hold no restraint on the truth of things as they were, and had taken no part in Fang or Yun mishandling. Seemingly, at least, but Lightning thought she sounded honest when she spoke of these things.

"Partly," Raina allowed, "We created them, you know. They're just like us, but many of the sisters see our people as pets. Treating one as a lover or falling for them is beyond most of their grasps because of this, and because of life expectancy."

"I thought the Yuns could live for a long time."

"150 to 180 years is a fair time for any life," Raina nodded, "But when you compare it to the centuries we've lived, you can't blame all of their incredulous on the uppity nature of the Umbra. It is something that's stopped any other Umbra from considering sharing love with our people. Better to think you'll have them forever than to put a due date on the relationship."

Lightning had never thought of it as a reason why Umbra and Yuns wouldn't mingle, but when her mother said it like that, she and Farron would part ways once her father grew old and died after her lifespan, and Raina would still be here. Hell, it'd be the same with Lightning. Full-blood Umbra lived forever. She wouldn't. "That's kind of sad, Mom. You're… you're going to outlive all of us."

"I know, Claire." Raina confirmed, lifting a hand to Lightning's arm to rub over it soothing. "It's okay; I cherish the time I'm given with my family while you're here, and it'll have to be enough."

"That's why everyone's so crazy over Fang," Jihl determined then from her other side in a realizing moment of their eventual parting of ways. "They don't want their kids to die."

Raina nodded sadly, "It doesn't excuse everything they've done to Fang and our people," she said, "But I understand why things have gotten so bad as they have. We feared extinction once, you know," Raina said softly with a shake of her head, "They probably still do. Falling from the thousands and losing so much power we had as a group of us scarred all of us badly. We lost our sisters, our wives… " Raina sighed, and Lightning could see a sadness in her eyes, "We paired up as best as we could after the war, struggling to hold onto each other and moved to live among our creation, but even then, we lost more. First with our children, then our own clan again. They're desperate, is what happened."

"Mom," Lightning spoke softly, having trouble contemplating it. She couldn't forgive them like her mother couldn't, nothing justified using another human being the way they had with Fang, nor what they intended to breed with her offspring to the Yuns, but Raina was one of them. She had lost her people too, and by the sound of it, an old wife once upon a time as well.

"What broke you from wanting to use Fang?" Lightning asked honestly. By the way she'd figured it, leaving her sisters had to have been one of the hardest decisions Raina had ever made, even with the reasoning of raping Fang. But it didn't explain why Raina would seek out a Yun for comfort, knowing that her mate would eventually die too, only causing her the same pain as when she'd first lost her wife. "Why aren't you desperate too, or Jeanne and Cereza?" No matter how gruesome and uncivil and awful using Fang was, a hard understanding poked at Lightning about these women. All of them, in some way, even if it didn't seem it… they were just scared.

"No matter how desperate we are," Raina said softly, "Nothing justifies the subjugation of a human being in the manner we have to Fang. Some of us might think of the Yuns and other tribes more as pets because we created them, but we created people in our own image with the capability to think, reason, and live as we do. A lack of the same power as us does not make the Yuns any less as people than us." Raina looked at her with sad eyes; it was an understanding not all of her sisters shared. Selene in particular came to mind. Her mother was right; she'd spoken of Fang, the Yuns, and tribes like pets instead.

"Besides, Claire," Raina added with acute remorse. "Nothing's meant to last forever. Even I didn't believe that once. We were untouchable in Cocoon above the world at one time. None of us even considered dying until the war came around. Even the Sages figured they'd simply age with their power forever, and we had agreed to reshape their bodies when they did." Raina shook her head, "It put all of us in such disbelief and denial. We were supposed to last to the end of the world and beyond. None of us accepted it back then."

"What made you change your mind?"

Lightning asked, hard-pressed to process how any of them would snap from it after such a casualty overload had decimated them.

"You did," Raina claimed with a gentle smile that lit up her sky-blue eyes, only a touch of a shade lighter than Lightning's. "When we first learned we could become pregnant off of the Sages' misdeeds, we were ecstatic. You should have seen how glorious Ariadne was, the first of us to get pregnant from one of the Yuns. It was beautiful, Claire." Raina's eyes had misted over, staring straight ahead with memory. "We knew our children wouldn't live forever, but it was okay. We were content to have you for our duration, then let you pass as our families could grow into generations. It wouldn't be like it was in Cocoon, certainly, and some of us had more trouble processing that, but we were happy with it."

"Then… we were taken?" Lightning asked, filling in the blank with a heavy heart. She put aside the implications to focus on later, full attention on her mother now.

"We thought you'd been killed," Raina agreed with horrible confirmation, "It happened faster than any of us were ready for. We'd attained a state of peace and happiness again, most of us were pairing off, finding comfort and solace once again, and then you were ripped away after our decades of trying. It was horrible. I only survived it because of Farron." Raina continued sadly, "I'd resisted loving her at first; it took time. I'd been with her to father a child many times before, and she was so sweet and pleasant. Even before your birth, I'd taken a favoritism over her too much. I'd tried to romance Tethys, one of the Umbra, to counter it too, but she was quite sneaky and so brave. She broke into Paradiso and my home one time after your birth, you know."

Lightning's memory flashed. She'd always been sure she'd made it up as a dream of her childhood, but she _had _a recollection of being held in strong arms, kind eyes of gray-green eyes staring down at her from above, followed by a thunderous booming.

"I almost shot her in fright," Raina chuckled, "I ran into the room, and the sound of the door slamming jolted her to high heavens. I had the gun at her throat and cocked before I recognized those eyes." Raina smiled faintly, "The most beautiful shade of silver I'd ever seen, flecked with green."

Lightning swallowed. "I think I remember."

"You might," Raina allowed kindly, smiling at her. "Umbra memories are better than most. Not infallible, but they have to be strong for our life spans."

Had it been this Farron's eyes looking down at her all those years ago? Lightning's heart stirred, unsettled. Jihl took her hand silently, and when Lightning looked at her, she gave a little smile and squeezed her hand. It was a memory Lightning had shared with her before. "What happened after?" Lightning asked curiously.

"Finding her in the bedroom just to pick you up and cradle was one of my last straws," Raina claimed with a smile, "Much as it made more sense to choose Tethys… I couldn't. I broke what little start we had off with her after, and went to Farron with you during the days when I could. Quietly, of course; seeing Yuns wasn't such a feared thing back then, but being with one was a matter unheard of. When they took you, Tethys tried to comfort me, but I could see no one but Farron. I fled to her, and bit by bit, she brought me through everything."

Raina's voice turned sad again, "I wasn't okay, but I had someone. None of us were okay by the time Fang showed up. She sent us straight into panicking."

Lightning's stomach felt heavy. "What awful timing."

"It was," Raina shared, looking at her sincerely. "It didn't start as a desperation to have her children, either. Fang's arrival as Ragnarok had us all scared."

Lightning's brows drew together. Scared wouldn't have been the word she'd have used. "Why?"

"Fang had been prophesized among us for generations," Raina explained to them both, "When 'Ragnarok' was to come, Gran Pulse was to be purged for a new generation. Fang was to tear the world apart of everyone but whom she'd deem mate-able, a suitable mother for her children."

"What?" Lightning asked, blanking out at this.

"It's the beast side of her," Raina shared, "Ragnarok's coming was going to be an end-of-days for our people, where one among them with equal strength and power as us would rise to remake the world by her own reckoning.

We'd been fine with it when we lived as many in Cocoon, of course. It would eventually heighten our people so that they might know immortality in the rebirth of Fang's generations. The whole world would be spread with her; and after the beast had rid those she deemed unworthy, she'd change back and procreate with the mate she had saved for it."

"But… " Lightning felt at a loss.

"Fang was supposed to kill everyone?" Jihl finally voiced her incredulous.

"She was," Raina agreed, "We'd have been able to re-supply populations if we'd been at full strength, but as little as we were at 24 in number, we wouldn't have been able to recreate a people anymore. We needed the Sages help in magic, and they needed ours of forming, but the War of Light and Dark had obliterated the Sages, and even we were too few to use that kind of magic it would take."

"So, you sealed her," Lightning figured, mind going back to that whited-over mark Fang had shown her the very first day they arrived. Raina seemed surprised she knew, but she nodded accordingly.

"Yes. It took all of us. Every one of us could sense Ragnarok, so we found her and took her away. Before her brand could progress her into becoming the beast, we all bound together and sealed her power away. She was so much stronger than our few number, it killed six of us in the process. Our number dropped to eighteen, and our panic about going extinct heightened again. None of us were in a good state of mind when it was all over, and we were left with Fang. Her included. How do you tell a child that she was born to destroy a world of billions?"

"How did you?" Lightning asked, jaw loose with it all. She'd thought she'd known all the horror there was to know about Fang, but it kept coming and piling, seeding atop of itself like some undying plague.

"Through the suggestion that she'd bear _our _children instead." Raina said in such pain, "Some of us felt it was deserved after everything we'd done. Most of us were too scared to deny it; we wanted our numbers back, and Fang provided an indisputable way… the poor girl," Raina shook her head sadly. "She used to be so scared. Even cried over the Umbra she'd killed when we sealed her away. We've destroyed that in her." Raina's jaw set. "We've destroyed everything by now."

"Fang's still there," Jihl volunteered unexpectedly, drawing both their somber eyes. "Sometimes…" Jihl added tentatively when they'd both looked her way. "When she's with Rhea, it shows."

Raina shook her head, remorseful. "I hope she has something." After a pause, Raina spoke again, "Jihl, I'm not your mother, but with your pregnancy…"

Jihl shied away from that surprisingly far. "I've already talked to Fang about it," Jihl said quickly, averting eyes from Lightning's mother. "…we want to include Fang."

Raina nodded softly and didn't press. Her eyes flickered to Lightning, who withered. They'd both participated in the degradation of Fang. Raina's words didn't simply apply to the full Umbra here. "I'm sorry, Mom…" Lightning voiced quietly, feeling very small when she included herself and Jihl in the picture of those who'd hurt Fang.

"I know, Claire," Raina said with a sigh, rubbing Lightning's arm. "I'm glad you realize it was wrong. Your head wasn't in a good place either." It was just an excuse, the same that could've been used for the Umbra. It didn't make Lightning feel any better about it as Raina hugged her side close and tight. Jihl refused to look their way either, and Lightning felt the strain. "You do what you can to make it easier on her, okay?" Raina whispered softly, and Lightning felt so wrong. Nothing made up that kind of thing.

"I will." She promised her mom, and wished it could help make things better again.


	41. Chapter 41

Jihl breathed a sigh of relief when they'd finally gotten over the awkward conversation with Lightning's mother and walked down the hall with them. That hadn't been fun, but Lightning had had to say those things to her mother for a long time now. And soon, Jihl hoped, she'd be able to tell them why Lightning had done it at all. At least others might not be so judgmental over her then. Lightning had trouble forgiving herself for it, but after Jihl could finally share why, her mother could see it in a different light.

They hit upon the kitchen because Jihl's stomach rumbled, and so did Lightning's if they were being all honest with everyone, and unsurprisingly found Fang already making something that smelled amazing. "Hey," Fang greeted quietly as they filed in, Cereza sitting at the table already, enjoying a variety of greens that looked scrumptious to Jihl.

"Evening, Fang," Lightning greeted politely, shy again with her mom right there.

"Would you like some?" Cereza offered off-hand, holding up a green for Jihl, who took it eagerly with a happy smile to her mother.

"Thanks, Mum!" Jihl sat next to her and glimpsed over a list of intelligible words in a script she didn't know. "What's that?"

"Busy work for the council," Cereza explained, plucking a green between her own fingers before she took the quill and penned something.

"Jeanne's out?" Raina asked, strolling in after them.

"Yesss…" Cereza distractedly scanned behind her ever-present, peering through unneeded glasses at the page.

Raina put a hand to Fang's shoulder as she stepped behind her, gentle. "Do you need any help, Fang?"

"They're almost done," Fang assured, then glimpsed Raina with a sideways glance as Lightning settled in beside her at the table. "Did you want some, Raina? If you eat meat now…"

"I'll get the trays," Raina volunteered then, "Thank you, Fang."

Lightning stirred, looking at the paper along with Jihl. "Is that a different script than Cocoon?" she asked curious; as she and Jihl had never been given lessons or anything, they could only guess at the penmanship, but it didn't look like anything Jihl had seen before.

"It's a Dia wording," Cereza explained distractedly after realizing the question had been posed her way. "Similar to Cocoon alphabet since man once lived here too…" she glanced at Lightning and her daughter through the butterfly rims. "Can you not read it?"

"We weren't taught to read," Jihl filled in, "We weren't supposed to have idle time for that."

Cereza frowned at her page. "Then we'll have to teach you," Raina said from behind them.

"Serah's learning her penmanship and different vernaculars at her age. She would love to have a partner with it."

"What's she like?" Lightning asked, and Jihl could tell how nervous she was about it all.

"Oh, she's the cutest thing," Raina volunteered, "A bit of a home-body for the daughter of a Yun, but she's very interested in reading, languages, and learning for her age. I wouldn't peg her as the hunter type; Serah's taken an Umbra appetite. Her little garden usually keeps her happy, and she's a quiet-spoken. A little shy about things."

"She's shy like you," Jihl said with a nudge and a smile.

"Here we go," Fang said in distraction, pulling out the giant roast. Raina seemed amused by it.

"Hope we'll have enough."

"With Lightning, that's always the question."

"Hey," Lightning protested, giving Jihl the look.

"Is that a roast?" Rhea's little head popped in through the doorway, where she sniffed the air attentively and popped right in behind them all. Poor Fang was already hard with all the Umbra in the room, but she brightened considerably when little Rhea showed up.

"Come sit down, Rhea." Fang invited, "There's enough." Though as she said it, Jihl saw her re-portion away from a plate she suspected was Fang's to the little one's. When she served up hers, it was considerably larger than any of theirs.

"All right!" Rhea came in gleefully, cute little butterfly pin in her long, flowing back hair this evening.

"I like your butterfly, Rhea." Jihl complimented with a smile, making the little girl grin, all happy.

"Thanks!" she looked at her mother, but when Cereza didn't glance up from the sheaves, she settled back in. "Isn't it pretty? I found it today while looking for suckers."

Fang smiled over her as she came back with Rhea's plate, then asked, "Cereza, do you want some?"

Cereza held up a green, not yet glancing up. "No thank you."

When Rhea's plate was set down, she inhaled the food first with a silly smile. "This smells soo good, Fang. I'm getting dizzy from it."

Cereza glanced up at her daughter as the soft sound of food being eaten came around. "Not too fast, Rhea." Cereza warned like this was a regular thing. Next to her, Raina's plate was almost already gone. Jihl's eyebrows lifted in surprise as she glanced from mother to Fang to Lightning, all eating in a similar, enthused manner.

"Careful, Light." She warned as well, "You don't want to have a food orgasm again."

Lightning choked on her food she was stuffing.

"What's an orgasm?" Rhea asked, all curious as Lightning turned a shade pinker.

Oops. "Something you'll learn later about, Rhea."

Cereza looked at her with a quirked brow. Fang just kept eating, and Raina seemed more amused than anything else.

"One of those things," Rhea grumbled, crossing her arms. "I'm gonna ask Circe what it means."

"Don't you dare," Cereza warned, eyes turning on her little one. Her eyes popped in sudden surprise. "Rhea!" In a second, she was up and around the table near her girl. Rhea squeaked as her mother picked her up with an arm and plucked at the beautiful butterfly pin she'd used to hold back her hair.

"I was only borrowing it!" Rhea squeaked in protest, flailing her arms in protest.

"Rhea, stop squirming!" Cereza said in a voice unlike her usual calm and delight with the girl, which had Rhea freezing in fright. As soon as she'd stilled, Cereza plucked the butterfly from her hair with caution between her fingers. "Don't take these things, Rhea," Cereza exhaled in relief, placing little Rhea back down again.

"I just wanted to borrow it," Rhea said, eyes growing wide as if she'd start crying.

Cereza knelt with a sigh and held up the pin. "This is a Pulley's Butterfly," Cereza said to explain. "If it had pierced your skin, it would've activated and drained your magic constantly. It's very dangerous, Rhea. You could've been seriously hurt."

Jihl blinked in surprise. "It does what?"

"I'm sorry, Mummy," Rhea sniffed, "I didn't know it was one of your magic accessories. I really was looking for suckers, and I found it in your locked drawer, and it was so pretty."

"We lock certain drawers for a reason, baby." Cereza sighed as she picked up the little one in an arm again. "Just be glad Jeanny wasn't home to have a heart attack, Sweetie. And ask Mummies the next time you want to borrow a pretty accessory, okay?"

"Okay, mummy…" Rhea looked at the floor from high in Cereza's arms apologetically. Cereza kissed her cheek to show she still loved her.

"It's magical?" Jihl asked again.

"Yes," Cereza finally filled in with a shake of her head, "We have certain accessories, crafted when times were desperate. They do a variety of harmful or protective things." Cereza shook her head, then looked to the little one. "I can show you which ones are dangerous, Rhea. And you can know not to go through those locked drawers again, okay sweetie?"

"Okay, Mum," Rhea sighed in defeat, looking at the little butterfly in her hands. "It's so pretty."

"I know," Cereza assured, kissing her little head again. "Pretty things aren't always good."

"Can I come see?" Jihl asked in immense interest to these mystical things, never having heard of such accoutrements.

"Sure," Cereza allowed, "We'll all come see what not to touch, okay?" she directed at Rhea.

"Okay, Mummy."

Lightning stood, plate already finished, and picked up Jihl's only half-eaten dish. "Take this with you," Lightning said, making Jihl roll her eyes. But Fang looked like she was about to agree, so with a sigh, Jihl took her plate after her little, rejuvenated sister to learn some things.

**XXX**

"No more stretches," Lightning pleaded, gunblade strapped to her side today. Jihl had both her guns as well, carefully woven into holsters at her hips. "Let's just shoot today, please?"

"Okay, okay," Jihl agreed, "But we're not giving them up entirely. We'll just take a few days before we try them again."

"Thanks Gods," Lightning breathed in relief.

Raina took to showing them how to hold their weapons. Lightning's gunblade was a little different, but still being a light weapon and with the ease they could now use them, she didn't have to modify too much to teach her. Additionally, Lightning's mother had fought with a long sword in melee before, so with a giant stick taller than Lightning, she showed the girls the way of movement in fighting and how to protect themselves in ways that expanded on the basics they already seemed to know.

Fang glimpsed them in mute interest as she practiced precision and timing with little Rhea. While the girl spent moments out of her timing with her mothers instead, Fang observed the two witches, and wondered when they'd picked up a few basics of hunting. Perhaps when they'd ventured on their own those five months outside of men's case, Fang figured, eying them. Though they both had loaded weapons, Lightning seemed a bit more adept with the gun first off. A natural, really.

Both girls were still left panting by the time the session with their mother had ended, the late end of night rising with the setting away of the moon.

"That was good," Raina complimented, seeming to have picked up the skills for hunting herself while she'd been away. "You girls keep that up, and we might be able to set you against a fiend eventually."

"Thanks, Mom," Lightning rubbed her arms where they ached from the swatting she'd taken from Raina's staff. Fang was sure she'd been careful not to exert much of her strength, but the girls seemed especially sore and aching about it, which was something Umbra magic couldn't fix so easily as open cuts, scars, and wounds they could've taken.

When she came around in passing, Fang offhandedly said, "You're pretty good with a gun, Lightning."

Lightning looked at her in surprise. "Thank you," Fang nodded politely, "When we went to the valley the other day… you were pretty amazing against that behemoth."

"It was a young one," Fang excused when the beast had been not so challenging, "There are others outside the valley that are better matches for fighting. Wasn't really a fair one you saw there."

"Still," Lightning insisted quietly, "It was impressive."

"Jihl mentioned the other day," Fang started, which seemed to make Lightning a little nervous again, "About how you found hunting interesting. Maybe after finish more training with Raina about your Umbra talents and all, or if she's not there… you could practice with me." Fang suggested, widening her eyes more.

"Really?" Lightning asked, eyes wide.

"I haven't sparred in a long time," Fang told her astonishment, "I don't think I'm really supposed to with Umbra, but it might be okay with the both of you. When Jihl's not pregnant anymore, I mean."

"That'd… " Lightning took a breath to calm herself, "I'd like that, Fang… If you still want to after it's all done."

Fang simply nodded, judging the slight hesitation still present in Lightning. Before anything else could be said, a small, little ocelot pounced between them, then jumped on Fang.

"Rhea!" Jeanne admonished loudly, but Fang just caught her daughter and smiled into small, kitty eyes. Rhea lapped at her chin for attention all cutely, and Fang held her little girl in an arm, tickling her stomach while the red-speckled girl squirmed, trapped. Lightning still watched her even as Jeanne called them away for the night. With one last, private kiss to her fuzzy little head as Fang turned to follow, she released her pup again, who scampered away and changed back as they walked, making Jeanne sigh as she went naked again.

"Why does everyone think I'm cute when I cat-out," Rhea complained, not seeming to care a bit as they passed Galene in walking. "I'm a scary ocelot! I have claws!"

Jihl laughed and plucked her up easily, not minding her sister's nakedness a bit either. "Someday, sweetie."

**XXX**

When Lightning returned from the shower that night, Jihl was naked, hair withdrawn over her body to her normal, long length, and she sat at their unused desk with a quill over paper. Lightning found her wearing glasses, and her heels were still strapped on in an incredibly sexy way. "What are you doing?"

"Lightning," Jihl ran a tongue over her lips, rolling the sucker between them in her mouth. Something slapped to the desk, and Lightning noticed Jihl's little whippy stick she'd brought with them from Cocoon instead of the quill Lightning thought it'd been. It was one of her favorite toys. "It's come to my attention that you've been a baaad girl of late," Jihl stood and, on three-inch heels that bought her more height, noticeably above Lightning. Lightning couldn't take her eyes from the glasses, so much so that she completely missed Jihl's approach. And the tie that hung ridiculously sexy between Jihl's naked breasts that had smushed to hers at some point.

Jihl's hand reached around her shoulder, their faces close. Her eyes were beautiful beneath those glasses. "Do you deny it?"

Lightning forgot the question. She stared, which made Jihl's smile bloom in shivery ways. She pressed in, sucker still sticking from her lips, and kissed Lightning's with an ease of her tongue that parted Lightning's lips like an expert. The heat of her tongue wetted Lightning and her lips, sucker stick pressing flat against her chin, then with impossible ease, Jihl tongued it over and pressed the head of it between Lightning's parted lips, lodging it fully on Lightning's tongue before she pulled back. The sweetness burned so deliciously; Lightning could taste the cherry sting that'd been Jihl's before she'd shared.

"Do you know what we do to bad girls, Lightning?" she pushed up the rim edge of her glasses with careful fingers that had her mesmerized.

"Show me," Lightning begged. Something silvery metal brushed near the crevasse of her ass, just brushing the skin gently.

"I'll have to." Jihl's eyes were so pleased; Lightning's lust issued, she was sure. "Sucker please, darling."

Lightning brought their lips together again, sucker stick at a flat angle, which Jihl eased from her mouth again like she'd been practicing the maneuver. Lightning inhaled deeply and grabbed Jihl by the tie. She tugged to lead her to the bed with a breath. "You're going to kill me."

"I know," Jihl let herself be tugged over where Lightning sat and pulled Jihl into her lap. Jihl smiled, bit off the sucker head, and flicked the stick away. Lightning was on her breasts before she'd finished the transaction. "Ohh," Jihl hummed, hugging her tight to them as her legs wrapped around Lightning. "Perfect. That's what we do to the ladies, yes."

Lightning gripped her around the ass with one strong hand. Umbra strength flowing through her, she lifted Jihl, who 'Oohed' and set her back to the bed before puckering off her breast. "You're going to get it for the glass."

"Not the tie?" Jihl asked with a laugh. Lightning already had them rubbing together in a way that had her oozing over Jihl hotly.

"No," Lightning kissed her, easing their bodies together as she pressed into Jihl, rocking on her, and kissed. "Glasses."

"I'll keep that in mind," Jihl said between licking tongues. Lightning couldn't stop humping in her oozing rock against Jihl. It made her heart pound. "Lightning," Jihl whispered, lips near her ear when she'd built up too much heat to keep kissing. Her heart hammered in her chest.

"What?" she panted breathlessly, incredulous Jihl could even speak so much during this. Freakin' kinks.

"I have one more surprise for you." Jihl's hands cupping her ass, stick tossed aside as Lightning rocked on her, Jihl's thigh intervening every now and again to give her something to clamp on, Lightning couldn't manage more than a syllable between the strokes of pleasure racking her body.

"Jihl…!"

"It's just a small thing, luv." Jihl whispered into her ear, tonguing it in a way that had Lightning squeezing over her thigh again. "I hope you like it," Jihl added. She wasn't going to _know _it in a second. Lightning closed her eyes and groaned, too close for a surprise game. She clamped onto Jihl's thigh with both legs in case she 'playfully' wanted to take it away.

"Jihl!"

"I just want to know," Jihl said softly in a way Lightning could barely hear. Lightning tucked down her head and whimpered; she couldn't hold it, and didn't want to, and couldn't hear Jihl anymore anyway, her ears were rushing so bad. She clamped down tighter on a hold of Jihl, opened her mouth, and gaped.

"_Claire_." Lightning jerked as she came, the single word only processing from whatever Jihl had been saying warmly to her ear. She gripped her, breathless, so high above the clouds and only managed to whimper when she tried to gasp for air, but she didn't fall. Something held her so reverently and Lightning nearly cried for the overwhelming pleasure where her body soared.

Warm and wet when sensations registered, Lightning felt a hand on her back stroking the skin. She exhaustedly puffed so near to Jihl's face, eyes still closed in the fading touch of her ultimate bliss. And Jihl's warm fingers pet her, brushing down her back gently to the round crevasse of her ass. Lips touched her cheek in another few seconds, full of Jihl's warm breath. "Does that mean you liked it?" Jihl whispered over her skin. Lightning's chest heaved against her breasts, sweated and sticky wet all over the place. All over Jihl's thigh. She slowly loosened her grip of legs.

"You're…" Lightning's tongue fumbled for the word she wanted to find. Amazing? Perfect? "Cruel." She finally settled on.

"Yes, I am." Lightning peeped open her sensitive eyes on Jihl's body. Dammit, she was still wearing glasses, the bitch. Lightning closed them again to ease her heart from racing. "I still think you liked it."

"Using it as a kink," Lightning sputtered tiredly, not sure if she were happier or should be peeved. What a set up. She'd been about to go anyway!

"Just testing it," Jihl assured, petting through her hair. "If you don't hate it, I wondered if I might use it other times as well… even outside of sex. It's so cute. It fits you so well."

Lightning peered an eye open to check if Jihl was teasing again. "You like it?"

"I do." Jihl confirmed with a soft smile that looked so damn hot with those glasses. Lightning reached up and pulled them off. It made Jihl smile a little more. "You like those, huh?"

"You don't even need them," Lightning blustered, putting the ridiculously sexy things aside. Jihl took her in with smiling eyes; Lightning fell into them so easily.

"It's not terrible," Lightning finally allowed, resting her cheek on Jihl's shoulder. "Still really girly."

"You're really girly," Jihl claimed lightly, "It fits."

Lightning lowered her eyes on Jihl's shoulder. Giving up a name… she'd carried Lightning with her for as long as she knew life. She'd have never expected to be in the position of actually considering taking the name her mother had given her, but circumstances had changed so much, everything was different now. Jihl had given up her name as well, and now asked it of Lightning. She fingered the pendant on her chest fondly, having had it for as long as Lightning could remember.

Jihl suddenly kissed her cheek after that long moment in deciding. "If you want to let me," she said softly. "Let me know."

Lightning wanted to; it wasn't a choice of Jihl letting her. Jihl could whatever she wanted of Lightning. Lightning opened her mouth to say so, but words wouldn't reach her lips. Letting go of it proved harder than Lightning would've ever suspected. It was just…

"No rush," Jihl said with kind eyes, "You'll know when you're ready, Lightning. I won't push that."

Lightning… Gods, she felt so safe with it. Why couldn't she let it go? Jihl had given up everything for her, even gotten pregnant. She wanted so badly to give it all back. But the next time she looked up at Jihl, her lover was frowning. "Jihl?" Lightning asked, heart sinking in her chest.

"My stomach hurts," Jihl said, reaching her arm for the portion Lightning wasn't covering.

Lightning rolled up and away immediately. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," Jihl confessed with a frown, "It's— aghh!" Jihl cringed suddenly, arm folding over her stomach as she half sat up.

"Jihl?" Lightning quickly started panicking.

"It— " Jihl panted, gasping as she sat fully upright. "Burning," she gaped, and when her eyes opened in disbelief and pain, Lightning saw tears there. "Light!" Jihl reached for her hand and gripped it so hard, a couple of her fingers snapped. Lightning gasped at the sudden, unexpected ripping of pain through her hand, but then Jihl was screaming with her free hand covering her head. "Help!" Jihl screamed, utterly snapping Lightning's whole hand. Lightning pulled it away in agony as Jihl curled into a ball and shook. "Lightning, help me!" Jihl's frantic call died to a whimper that had her shaking and twitching. She covered her head and started spasming that had her breathlessly gaping for air.

Lightning gripped her burning wrist and scampered for the door immediately, shouting.

"FANG!" Lightning shouted in panic, her bedroom being closest with the most ability to hear. "FANG, HELP!"

She started for her room, but quick scampering on the stairs brought Lightning around where Fang hurried up. Another scream echoed from the room. "Help me!" Fang disappeared straight into the room. Lightning saw her jump atop of Jihl to restrain her only seconds before a purplish hue lit up the room, taking Lightning with it, and only freezing Fang in place as Raina, Jeanne and Cereza appeared right behind her in the entrance. Frozen Fang went flying through the opposite wall in seconds as the purplish hue evaporated just like that.

The three Umbra went to restrain Jihl as Fang thudded to the ground out the hallway.

"Grab her arms!" Jeanne shouted as Cereza fought to contain her legs, and Raina took her right half. Jeanne took an arm herself, struggled to hold it in one arm, hand gleaming with some kind of magic when she reached for Jihl's neck. A sudden, booming shockwave cracked, throwing every one of them to the wall. Lightning groaned, arm on fire as Jihl strained taut on the bed, looking possessed. Fang crashed into the room again faster than Lightning would've thought able for her to get up. Staggering unsteady to Jihl's bed, she landed flat all over her body to pin her.

"Jeanne!" Fang growled, and Lightning could almost hear a beast.

Jeanne picked up off the floor as fast as she could without triggering Witch Time again, which could send Fang through the wall. Jihl thrashed under her and tried to hit. With an unexpected roar just as Jeanne came over, Fang reared back her head and bit deeply into the base of Jihl's neck.

"Jihl!" Lightning cried in fright, struggling to her feet despite the overwhelming flair of pain in her broken hand. Fang started humping through the thin material of her jeans, making Lightning's eyes bulge. "Fang stop!" Lightning snapped them into Witch Time and cringed, falling to her knees as her eyes blurred over darkly. Four other witches warped into her out-of-time space and made her utterly dizzy. Her hand burned. Lightning's vision started to dim as a loud blow barely resounded in her ears.

"Jihl," Lightning mumbled, fighting it to keep conscious. She closed her dizzy eyes as she heard a racket near the bed. Giving it as long as she could, Lightning lifted her eyes to find Cereza easily toting a time-slowed Fang out of the room. Jeanne hovered over Jihl, and Lightning could smell the nauseating, metallic scent of blood. Someone was at her side then as Lightning struggled to get up again.

"Hey," some familiar voice cautioned. "Take it easy, Claire."

"Is she okay?" Lightning asked, ignoring the advice as she fought for her feet to see her.

"She's unconscious and we're stabilizing," Raina took her wrist gently, which stung, and surveyed her fingers.

"Lemme see her," Lightning mumbled when the dizzying efforts to move proved unyielding. "I have to tell her… she can call me anything." Lightning felt so light, but her legs wouldn't budge. She wanted so badly to see Jihl again, and she couldn't move. The room grew darker again with the dimming of lights. "She doesn't know. Mom…"

"I'm sure she knows," Raina said gently, not understanding because Jihl didn't know. Lightning hadn't told her in time to. Raina placed her hand crossing over her stomach and Lightning could barely feel it. The darkening room spun as she suddenly lifted off the floor. Lightning closed her eyes and whimpered, feeling sick. At least the pain in her wrist had died a little, but it wasn't okay. Jihl didn't know.

"Jihl… " Lightning murmured and reached for her, then all she knew was darkness and Lightning felt no more.


	42. Chapter 42

Fang could taste the blood on her tongue. Worse, how painfully aroused she felt from it. The little details stuck and made her twitch every now and then to think. How Jihl had looked, beautifully naked underneath her, or worse: her scent. It lingered with Fang even now, how incredibly amazing she'd smelled, enough to make Fang want her and bite into her like she had. It blurred after that, Fang only recalling an overwhelming urge to fuck. She'd been intoxicating to Fang.

"Fang," Cereza said quietly, downstairs with her, but looking up and wanting to be with her injured daughter again.

"You don't have to babysit me," Fang tried to offer, so messed up. "It's faded…"

Cereza didn't get up to move. "What did you feel?" she finally asked, eyes turning back to Fang, meaning in a gentle way 'what the fuck?'

"I don't know," Fang couldn't look at her, "It was like the Umbra effect multiplied all at once, and I… I'm sorry, Cereza. I didn't mean to assault her. I was just— "

"Fang," Cereza cut in, hand on her arm over that mark where they had sealed her. "Shh. If I thought you were in control of yourself when it happened, it'd be another story. Calm down, Fang."

Fang did anything but. Worse that Cereza already seemed forgiving of her. A memory flashed of rubbing herself against Jihl's beautifully naked body desperately. With such an overwhelming scent, if she hadn't been wearing jeans...

"Jihl's pregnancy must've set you off." Cereza figured, thinking of the only things that'd fit. "You sensed the power in her, didn't you, Fang?"

"Yes," Fang admitted, though it excused nothing. If others hadn't been there… she could've raped Jihl. And what would she have done if Lightning tried to get in her way of it? Fang chilled to the bone.

"It didn't help how we found her," Cereza added, sure of it. "Your senses must've picked up on that." Cereza paused a long moment, hesitating to ask. "…was it the same with Roma, Fang?"

Fang shook her head. The Umbra scent was powerful, and Roma had been pregnant too, but she'd felt nothing of that undying need to fuck like she had with Jihl.

"Perhaps because she's half Yun," Cereza suggested quietly, "Knowing that, smelling it on her… maybe it pushed you over the edge."

Fang had no better suggestions. No suggestions at all, really. She'd thought Cereza might have something with the pregnancy thought… Fang _had_ softened to Jihl more now, knowing that, but she hadn't molested Roma when they'd had sex either.

"Fang," Raina's voice suddenly echoed, followed by the _thump _of her jumping down through the hole Fang had made in their walls. She came from the living room, proving it a moment later. Fang kept her head down with Raina's entry as well, someone else she needed to apologize to for her behavior.

"I'm sorry," Fang said it meekly, wishing she could undo it completely.

"Don't be," Raina said quite abruptly, "I have a cure." Both Cereza and Fang lifted their heads in confusion at the bold statement. Raina went on immediately. "I would've told you and Jeanne about it immediately, Cereza, but after I saw Rhea… it took some digesting. And then Roma was there, leering over my every movement."

"A cure for what, Raina?"

"For the lust we emanate." Raina explained, taking up a seat in the middle of them. "I've lived with Farron for thirteen years now, and more than that, among Yuns. It quickly became apparent that something had to be done about the arousing smell I issued to the sensitive noses around me."

Cereza looked at her with a furrowed brow, a little alarmed by it. "You did something, Raina?"

"I crafted a spell," Raina nodded, "It took years to perfect, but I figured a way to dampen the effect we echo to the Yuns. It doesn't affect their senses; it's simply something I cast on myself to keep from arousing every Yun I come across."

Cereza's eyes were wide; Fang didn't know how to take it. Raina added, "I've never worked a backwards effect from Yun to Umbra since I had no need to… but it'd probably only be a couple of small variations from the one I have. It'd take some time to create. But Fang's actions today were a combination of things, I'm sure, including Jihl's scent today. I would put this spell on Lightning and Jihl as a solution, if you'd allow me to perform it on Jihl. I could also give it to you and Jeanne, Cereza. If you wanted it."

"Don't give it to Jeanne," Fang suddenly said, fear overriding the offer of disbelief. Raina looked at her inquisitively and Fang lowered her eyes uncomfortably. "It's… awkward enough already," she said, so very aware of Cereza's eyes on her, "I don't know if I can get it up… without the effect."

Someone cradled her head then and brushed back the hair behind her ears to kiss the top of her head. "It's removable if you need it, Fang." Raina voiced, holding her. "It's up to you, but for the spaces inbetween…"

"Does Jeanne know about this?" Cereza asked as she finally let go, Fang's face warmed with shameful flushing. She didn't deserve this kind of care from these women.

"Not yet," Raina said, "She's upstairs with Jihl. Says Thalia will be back by night's peak."

"Are the girls okay?" Fang asked tentatively. "Is… is Jihl?"

"Jeanne doesn't know what happened." Raina explained, "But I think we all sensed Fang's child today."

"This sort of response has never happened," Cereza breathed in frustration of unknowing. "It doesn't make sense why they'd react this way."

Raina arched a careful eyebrow, wary with Fang there. "None of the Yuns…?"

"No," Cereza confirmed absolutely. "None of them."

Fang felt even worse. She had done this in impregnating Jihl. And then assaulted her. "Will she be alright?" Fang asked, and remembered Lightning with a broken hand of bones on the floor. "Will they?"

"They're stabilized," Raina said when Cereza seemed unable. "We'll know more when Thalia comes."

Despite the news of Raina's potential 'cure' for certain Umbra members, Fang's heart sank. Whatever happened to Jihl hereafter, she was directly to blame.

**XXX**

When Lightning opened her eyes again, she immediately found Jihl beside her in the bed. She curled to her and found something unusual under the blankets in Jihl's clothing. Jihl always slept naked. Lightning blinked as she noticed something bigger in a figure hovering over them. "Thalia?"

"Hey, Lightning," Thalia greeted gently, unalarmed as she wiped something softly over Jihl's forehead. "It's good to see you up again. How's your hand?"

It tingled, now that Thalia mentioned it, but Lightning felt no more ripping, scorching pain. When she looked at it again, her fingers had been re-aligned smoothly like nothing had been out of place at all. "Did you fix me?" Lightning asked, remembering how bad it'd been. Jihl had busted more than one completely out of place. Lightning couldn't imagine how Thalia had so flawlessly fixed that. She hadn't even woken for her fingers being broken back into place.

"I sedated you for most of it," Thalia said, seeming to know her thoughts. "I thought you came out of it for a moment there, so I doubled the dose on you again." Lightning didn't remember any of that. But now that she was waking, increasing memory flickered of how she and Jihl had gotten this way in the first place.

"Is Jihl okay?" Lightning asked, worried eyes zipping to her lover again. Some soft kind of hum came from her being like a soothing song. Lightning could sense something different in her lover. And Jihl wasn't flawless anymore. Instead, at the base of her neck on the collar, Fang's teeth indentations barely looked any better than fresh infliction. Lightning lifted fingers to those marks in wonder and barely brushed over them. Why hadn't the Umbra healed it on Jihl?

"It wouldn't heal by our magic," Thalia filled in as if reading her thoughts. When Lightning's eyes lifted in confusion, she added, "We've treated it, and it's slowly starting to come around on it's own. At worst, she'll have a light scar by the end of it."

It wouldn't heal? What did that mean? Lightning swallowed. "What happened?"

"She's stabilized," Thalia answered calmly, "The power of Fang's child awoke in Jihl. It was a little much for her to take."

"She's going to be all right?" Lightning asked, worried eyes on her pretty, pale face. Thalia hesitated in responding just a moment too long, spiking her fear greatly. "What's wrong?" Lightning asked in a rush, "What is it?"

"She hasn't woken up yet."

"How long has it been?" Lightning asked, heart dropping like a stone.

"Two nights." Thalia revealed slowly, making Lightning's heart race.

"And she wasn't sedated?" Lightning asked anxiously.

"No," Thalia shook her head, then tried to calm her with 'good' news. "But she's stabile."

What did that even mean, stabile? She hadn't woken in two days without sedative; obviously something was wrong with her. Lightning's heart started to race; she touched Jihl's shoulder and whispered to her. "Jihl," she gave a little shake, "Jihl, can you hear me? Wake up."

"Lightning…" Thalia started in precaution, only multiplying her fear.

"Wake up," Lightning whispered again, squeezing her arm. When whispers of encouragement failed to work, Lightning pinched her. She didn't even twitch or mewl. Lightning pleaded with Thalia. "What's wrong with her?"

"Her body needs to come back to stasis," Thalia explained in short words, "She hasn't yet."

"But you said she was stabile," Lightning protested weakly, reaching for Jihl's pale face.

"They're different things," Thalia explained gently, "Her body's rested, but it hasn't obtained equilibrium with the new power inside her yet."

Lightning's heart pounded away; she remembered a man once at the castle who'd fallen into a state of shocked unconsciousness. He'd never woken from it, even after years, and they eventually killed him rather than continuing to care. And now Lightning scared herself, thinking this condition could pass onto Jihl. She tried to breathe evenly, though the effort came rough, voice hitching with her heaving as she fought for calmness. "When will she?" Lightning asked, desperate for the reassurance it wasn't the same case.

"…I don't know," Thalia confessed, "It could be a few hours, it could be a few days…"

It could be months, or never at all, Lightning finished silently, breaking out in a cold sweat as she started to panic.

Something warm touched her cheek, but Lightning barely noticed it for how she was caught staring at her lover's pale, still face. Tears gently rolled down her cheeks in utter disbelief. She was dying right there next to Jihl with every second.

"Lightning," Thalia was saying, and repeated it like she knew she couldn't hear.

"Will she wake up?" Lightning finally croaked, drowning as tear-stung eyes lifted to Thalia in agony. "She'll wake up, right?"

"She should… given some time," Thalia said, which was as good as a no to Lightning. Her tears turned to crying before sobs overcame Lightning as she clung to Jihl in grief. Every piece of this was her fault, and now Jihl lay in sleep that may never end because of her. Lightning's body wracked in pain as she shook over her fragile body.

"Please," Lightning begged her quietly, "Come back to me, Jihl," she cried, shaking. "Please."

Thalia rubbed her back, but there was little she could actually do to calm the raging storm in Lightning. She couldn't live without Jihl; eternally sleeping there every day. She curled to her to snug as close as she could.

Sometime later, the door opened to Raina, Cereza, and Jeanne. Lightning didn't want to leave Jihl's side, curled up against her like she was, but the mothers brought in food with them. Soup. Supposedly to feed Jihl and probably herself. For the first time since their venture here, Lightning wasn't hungry for it. She just wanted to hold Jihl until she woke again.

Raina and the others seemed surprised she had woken. "I would've fetched you," Thalia explained. "But I didn't want to leave…"

"It's okay, Thalia." Raina breathed in such relief, crossing over to Lightning immediately. Lightning barely managed to extract herself from Jihl as her mother came in, kissing her head and whispering in immense relief. "My baby," Raina said, cradling her, and Lightning let herself be held because she felt so cold without it.

"Has there been any change in Jihl?" Jeanne asked, throat tight with strain. Lightning's heart snapped with hers when Thalia shook her head quietly and picked up from her spot beside the bed in the chair.

"I'll be downstairs to check on her in a little bit." Thalia said, leaving the mothers with their children alone. Lightning clung to Raina, hard-pressed not to cry again when she looked at Jihl on the bed.

"We're glad to see you awake, Lightning." Jeanne said quietly in full distraction as Cereza sat on the bed beside her daughter and lifted Jihl to lean against her. Lightning looked on as Cereza held her and stroked her hair while Jeanne spoon-fed their girl.

"It's going to be okay, Lightning," Raina whispered. "Jihl's born of strong blood; she's going to pull through this."

Lightning hid her face in her mother's arm in her attempt to comfort. The truth was, none of them knew that. She could've just lost Jihl forever, and the last thing she'd failed to say was permission to use her name. Lightning buried herself in her mother and grieved.


	43. Chapter 43

Jeanne and Cereza had stayed most of the night; though it physically hurt Lightning to do it, after caring for her all day with Lightning, trading tasks of cleaning, feeding, and clinging to Jihl, Lightning finally stepped away with her mother to give Jihl's parents some space alone with Jihl. She quivered as she left, not at all comfortable enough to leave Jihl like this. Her mother tried to be kind in taking her mind away; Lightning didn't know how long she'd make it without gluing back to Jihl's side again.

"Claire," Raina offered in taking her to the kitchen. Lightning still wasn't hungry, and her mother had been encouraging her to eat all day. "I have something to share with you about Fang."

Lightning gathered some materials for cooking and started cutting them. "What about her?" She asked, heart weighing heavily. Fang, who'd gotten Jihl pregnant. Who Lightning had _made _her get Jihl pregnant.

"You know of her echoing effect, don't you? How she becomes aroused by your presence?" The reminder made her think of Fang again a few days ago; she'd forgotten all about her in her panic and soothing over Jihl's frail body. Lightning hadn't seen the Yun since her occasion of biting.

"Is that what happened a few days ago?" Lightning asked, seeking confirmation. "The lust became too much."

"Partly," Raina nodded, "I wanted to ask you, Claire. If there was a way to turn off the effect you have on Fang, would you take it?"

"You mean…" Lightning tried to determine where out of the blue this question had sprung from. "So she's not hard all the time?"

"Yes."

"I would do that," Lightning said, heart straining under all this crushing. If only Fang hadn't been able to get hard before when she wanted to rape her. "I'd do that, if there were a way."

Raina nodded slowly in the midst of her meat-cutting. "I can do that for you, Claire." Lightning lifted her head abruptly. "I've crafted a spell that will turn off the Umbra effect on Yuns."

"You did?" Lightning gaped, attention for the moment distracted in this new discovery.

"Yes," Raina confirmed, "I'm… still working on perfecting it to work the other way. Fang will still arouse you for the time being, but… "

"Do it," Lightning said, not caring about that. Her mother had invented something, even a small something that could relieve Fang just a little bit. No way Lightning wasn't going to take it. Not after everything she'd already done to Fang. "I want it done on me."

Raina nodded with a sad little smile, kissed her head, and promised. "I will after dinner if you eat."

Lightning agreed fervently. It didn't make up for anything she'd done, but in this small way, she could make Fang just a little more comfortable without her constant boner pain.

"Thank you, Mom," Lightning said, shivering as the tingle of magic spread through her when it was done. She could still feel a little hint of it over her. "Is that why Fang's… hiding?"

"She doesn't want to hurt you or Jihl either again," Raina confessed sadly, "She's secluded herself in her room because of it." Lightning bit her tongue, so guilty. She'd ben mortified when Fang had started assaulting Jihl, of course, but it was nothing worse than what they'd done to her in the first place. "We can go back to Jihl now," Raina said gently, since it'd been a couple of hours without her already. Lightning struggled not to hurry back. When she finally got here, she found Jihl being cradled in both her mothers arms, who looked exhausted. Raina noticed it too.

"Jeanne, Cereza; you should get some sleep."

Jeanne looked up at the voice with shallow eyes. "In a little bit, Raina." And Lightning ached all the more for the broken mothers. Everyone in the house knew who's fault this was, and still they treated her so kindly. Lightning felt like a rat who'd betrayed them. She'd have to make this better somehow. If only Jihl would wake…

Jeanne and Cereza cradled their little precious child awhile longer until Thalia finally came back in, long after Lightning. Jeanne and Cereza gave their last kisses to Jihl and ended the tentative conversations they'd been sharing between words with Lightning and Raina. "Let us know of any changes," Jeanne asked Thalia, practically pleading for them. Cereza gave her girl one last squeezing before she finally nodded and started away with Jeanne. Lightning heard a mention about Rhea in disappearing and felt even worse for it. What had they told the little one about her sister's condition? She feared to know, and the minutes passed slowly as Thalia completed another checkup on Jihl's vitals and well-being.

"Okay," Thalia finally ended with her final departure. "I'll be back to check throughout the day at odd hours," Thalia warned her, "Don't be alarmed." Lightning nodded, and the door close so she was only with her mother and Jihl.

"Sweetie," Raina said, holding her. Lightning ached to hold Jihl. She almost could now, and longed for it. "Try to get some sleep. Jihl will heal as she heals."

Or she won't, nobody said.

"Do you want me to leave you with her now?" Raina asked gently, and there was nothing Lightning wanted more than to be with her baby.

"Please," Lightning asked softly, and Raina nodded in understanding.

"If either of you need anything…" Raina offered kindly, "Or if she registers a change, all our doors are open. You just need to holler, Claire."

"Okay."

Raina kissed her and left. Lightning practically bolted to Jihl's side, strapped her tightly, but warmly under an arm and held her. "Jihl," Lightning cuddled in, wishing her girl would speak or say something back to her. Any kind of movement. Anything that would show her she wasn't as dead as a corpse to the world. "Please come back to me," Lightning whispered, so softly, but fervent in her plea. "I love you," Lightning said when she didn't move a muscle. "I'd take it all upon myself if I could." Her eyes wetted as she rested her head on Jihl's shoulder where Jihl always comforted her. "I never wanted you to suffer like this," Lightning confessed, though it hardly mattered what she had wanted now. Raping Fang hadn't just been for waste, it'd put Jihl into this state and many others she'd be in if they ever made it out of this.

"I'm sorry," Lightning confessed, hiding her eyes from the cruelness of seeing her unmoving. She'd die for Jihl to make her well again. "I miss you."

Jihl didn't respond to any of it. Lightning settled on her space on Jihl and held her, unable to sleep like this with the rising chance Jihl wouldn't get better from this. It worsened with each night, and it'd been three already. Every day Jihl slept, the less likely she'd ever be from waking, and it crushed Lightning's soul to pieces. She tried to abstract from the possibility and simply hold Jihl in that night. It was a long time in passing.

Lightning wasn't watching, and didn't remember the shadows when they first came, but Thalia showed up in the room as promised sometime later. She didn't reprimand Lightning for not sleeping, but just quietly checked Jihl's vitals again. Lightning looked at her with pleading eyes, but Thalia shook her head, not meeting her eyes. "No change."

She left sometime later, and Lightning clamped to Jihl in the quiet, whispering things every now and again when they occurred to her to say. Otherwise the room stayed quiet, too quiet when it should've been filled with Jihl's promiscuous joking and inappropriate revelations about their sex lives to their mothers. Lightning missed that so much; she'd have killed to hear Jihl tell their mothers about their play right now. She'd do anything for it.

A little time later, what seemed too short since Thalia had just visited them minutes ago… or was it hours? The door creaked open again. Lightning's eyes went to it and it wasn't Thalia in the creak of it. "Fang."

Fang stiffened at the sound of her name, head lifting to take in Lightning with surprised eyes at the sight of her. "You're awake."

Lightning ushered her in. Fang hesitated, then closed the door behind her. Lightning saw bread and a gallon-sized cask of water in her hands. "You brought her food," Lightning said, heart tearing in warmth and pain over Fang's sweetness.

"It's for both of you." Fang confessed sheepishly. "I hadn't known you'd woken up."

In the midst of it all and self-inflicted Fang's seclusion, no one had remembered to tell her of it. Lightning tried to summon her further in. "You didn't have to do that, Fang."

Fang winced. "I thought you'd be hungry… a Yun baby demands a lot."

"You were going to feed us?" Lightning realized. If Fang had thought they'd both be unconscious… Fang shifted nervously.

"I should go."

"Fang, wait," Lightning called back before she could pull out and away, "Don't." Lightning asked, inherently wanting her there for some deeper reason. She wanted to hold Jihl, but it'd became so lonely without anyone else there. "Please stay."

"I'm going to give you the bread," Fang reported, "Douse it with the water, and it'll go down easier. You can massage her throat if you think she needs it."

Was that what Fang had been planning to do to them? Lightning loosened from the bed, sat up, and took the sustenance from her as Fang moved into a chair a good few paces away. "Thank you."

Fang barely nodded, sitting there all uncomfortable and finally asked, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm better," Lightning assured, breaking off a small piece and doing as Fang recommended with the bread. "Jihl has… to reach a stasis still."

"I heard," Fang kept her head mostly bowed, but her eyes caught on Jihl's neck. She finally spoke to say, "I'm sorry for hurting her, Lightning."

Lightning's eyes went to it too, those deep, bleeding indentations Fang had made. They probably could've used stitches, but if the Umbra couldn't heal them, Lightning was glad they hadn't. "Do you know why they can't be healed?" Lightning asked, tentative. Fang shook her head. Lightning gripped Jihl's side and finally spoke. "It wasn't your fault, Fang."

Fang didn't say anything to her denial of blame, instead only voiced. "I hope she gets better."

It was wrong to hope for such a thing coming from Fang's position. They had raped her for this; Lightning had raped her for this, but the statement made her feel so much better, Lightning almost took shame in it. "I appreciate you coming." Lightning confessed as she reclined Jihl against her body to take in the food. "It feels right that you're here." Lightning couldn't really explain it, but Fang's presence really seemed to ease something in her she couldn't quite understand.

Fang nodded silently, "I think she'll be okay, Lightning. Jihl's stronger than you think." Lightning batted an eyelash at that in wondering. Stronger than she thought? Lightning already thought her strong. Of the two of them, Jihl had always been holding her up. She knew how powerful her woman was; she just didn't know if it would help in this situation.

"I hope you're right." Lightning said softly, holding Jihl still with her. She hoped, too, it'd be sooner rather than later. Lightning couldn't last long without her woman.

Fang stayed for a generous time; mostly in silence, but Lightning didn't feel terribly awkward about it. When she'd finished giving Jihl the cask some good hours later, Fang stood up and took it from her politely. Lightning looked at her in astonishment how perfectly kind and good-hearted Fang still was under everything. Even coming to visit them and staying. It was a long time later when Fang finally stood, and Lightning noticed out of her Jihl distraction that she wasn't pointing at them.

"Thanks for letting me stay," Fang said in a way that crushed Lightning's heart a little.

"You're always welcome to." Lightning tried to tell her.

"And," Fang added with one last glance. "Thanks for using the spell, Lightning. You didn't have to for me."

She did, but it wasn't an answer Fang would take. Instead, she just nodded, "Thank you for coming, Fang."

"Try to get some sleep, Lightning." Fang left after that, leaving Lightning to Jihl again. Looking down to pale, unmoving woman, Lightning hugged to Jihl again, and the next time she closed her eyes, she didn't open them again.

**XXX**

"Mummies say Jihl's sick," Little Rhea told, "So, I picked her flowers to make her feel better."

Lightning smiled at the little one with her bouquet of picked flowers she'd plucked from around Paradiso all over. "She'll love them," Lightning put the flowers on the dresser. Rhea popped into the bed and gave her sister a big hug, then turned around, surprised her, and hugged Lightning too.

"She's being silly, sleeping so long," Rhea tsked, not having been told the full nature of everything. "I hope she stops it soon."

"Me too." Lightning confessed. She shared the morning with Rhea, Cereza, and Raina again, then when time had passed, she allowed the mother and sister time alone again to fetch something to eat with her insisting mother.

"I'm not the one we need to worry about under-eating, Mom." Lightning complained, "Let's make some kind of soup for Jihl again." Raina agreed as long as Lightning would take a healthy serving as well. Lightning was beginning to detect a trend Raina had no doubt adopted from Farron: stuffing her children full, even when they didn't need it. But Lightning had to admit when she tasted it, her mother was a great chef.

They went outside for a breath of fresh air after she'd mixed in everything and put the stew on. Lightning wanted to go upstairs again, but she humored her mother in staying out to 'get some sun' on her face and walk around just a little bit to keep from going taut after being in bed all day.

While Lightning found it hard to think of anything else with Jihl still upstairs lying unconscious, Raina made a great effort of it in speaking about her father. "She's outdoorsy too," Raina told her, "And a sneak. Farron's quicker than you'd think; if you thought you inherited my speed, you'd be wrong. That's from her. You just picked up my Witch Time."

"What's dad like to do?" Lightning asked.

"Oh, you know, she's a Yun. Loves to hunt, loves sex, the usual kind of thing." Lightning's eyebrows lifted at the casual revelation. "You'd really like her, Lightning. Maybe after Jihl gets better, I could take you to her and Serah for a few days… with Jihl, if you want."

"Really?" Lightning's stomach did all kinds of turning. "I'd like that, Mom." Seeing her dad… what sounded like her real, honest to Gods father. Lightning knew so little, but Farron felt so real already. A Yun father… Lightning's belly churned.

Before she could get too invested into the idea of it, they were heading back inside to the smell of good soup, which reminded Lightning about Jihl over everything, and how she'd need a feeding, washing, and care taken of her, if Cereza hadn't already. Raina carried the whole steaming pot up, and Lightning brought a bowl and spoon to her lover when they arrived. Rhea took it upon her to help and nearly spilled half the pot, but behaved cutely in the manner of taking care of her sister after. At least until it came time to wash Jihl.

"Eww," Rhea made a face. "She wet herself! How does she not wake up for that?"

It almost made Lightning smile, the little one was so cute about it. "You want to help me clean her up, Rhea?"

"Can we dress her up after?" Rhea asked, excited with the prospect of a life-sized doll she could dress. When Lightning confirmed, she went happy again. "I'll turn on the tub!"

Lightning carried her over and Rhea eagerly helped her strip of the top parts in a way that would be concerning if she weren't just a little thing. "What's that?" Rhea asked when the bite marks were revealed on Jihl's neck. She gave Lightning a suspicious look. "Did you do that, Lightning?" Lightning lifted an eyebrow at the little one, who went, "Aha! Mummies bite each other sometimes too. I walked in on it a few times. Why do you do that, Lightning?"

"When you're older..." Lightning murmured, which made Rhea grumble again.

Lightning slowly lowered Jihl into the tub, and Rhea grabbed some rags so they could rinse and wash her. "Man," Rhea said as Cereza supervised next to Raina. "I want boobs like Jihl's when I grow up." Lightning sputtered on a laugh.

"What?" Cereza claimed when Raina looked at her with an amused eyebrow. "She doesn't get that from me." Lightning didn't quite believe that either.

Lightning bathed her carefully and took most of her bottom half. When they got to her hair, Rhea found herself in control of the spigot, and somehow, everyone got sprayed. Even knowing how serious it was when the little one didn't, Rhea lightened the mood considerably and made Lightning feel a little better by the time they scooped Jihl out and wrapped her in towels. Rhea had a considerable time coming out Jihl's hair, and then dressing her afterwards. "She really sleeps like a log, doesn't she?"

Lightning smiled softly, wishing it could be as lighthearted as Rhea believed the situation. "Sick people like to sleep," Lightning merely said, which seemed to satisfy Rhea just fine as she asked her mother if she'd ever been sick like this. Lightning finished off drying her long hair with the warm puffer and combed it through one last time.

"Dress up!" Rhea delighted, and scuttled away to pick clothes for Jihl.

"Something comfortable, Rhea." Cereza warned as she dashed off to find things outside the room somewhere, and came back with tiny nightwear that Lightning might've put her in before doing her one evening.

"These!" Rhea claimed proudly.

Cereza shook her head as she went about tugging to fasten it to her sister. "We really need to get her some bras that fit." Lightning colored a little again: everyone was seeing Jihl naked without exception. She'd never have been so comfortable with this if they weren't family members.

When all had been taken care of, Lightning toted Jihl back to her room and laid her on clean bed sheets once again. It wasn't any less often than Lightning usually changed them, so she didn't much mind having to undo them so often.

Rhea snuggled in the bed beside her, and Lightning climbed in on the other side, making Rhea a little sandwich to her sister. "That was exhausting," Rhea yawned, "You do that every evening?"

"Three times a day," Lightning corrected.

"I bet she's just faking it," Rhea said, "Way to get the royal treatment."

Lightning wished those claims were so. Thalia came in not long after for Jihl's checkup every few hours and sadly shook her head after it. Lightning brushed back Jihl's hair with an arm braced behind little Rhea's head. She tried not to lose hope as Rhea settled in to nap. Lightning wondered what time it was. Eventually, Raina and Cereza left after Rhea had fallen asleep, replaced by Jeanne who crouched beside the bed and gently touched her daughter's sleeping face. Lightning could tell how pained she was; she wished she could ease it. Jeanne kissed Jihl's head and thanked Lightning quietly for taking Rhea. She stayed longer, but didn't speak. Lightning eventually drifted with the little girl beside her in bed. She dreamed of the abyss, and hoped for Jihl's healing to cure this family.


	44. Chapter 44

When Lightning woke up, Jeanne wasn't there anymore. Instead, she saw Fang sitting in a chair near the bed, quietly looking over all of them. "Hey," Lightning greeted quietly so she knew she was awake, careful to not wake up Rhea from her slumber still on Lightning.

"Hey," Fang greeted back quietly as well, and Lightning smelled the fresh food on the dresser beside her before she saw it. "Didn't mean to wake you."

"Did you just come in?"

"A moment ago, yeah." Fang gazed down to the little one braced on Lightning's arm, snuggled to a barely-dressed Jihl cozily. She stroked Rhea's hair over her little body idly. "Looks like some nice family time."

"Rhea came in this morning," Lightning filled in to Fang's nod.

"She looks happy."

Lightning nodded, "We only told her a little bit, that Jihl's sick."

"Any changes in Jihl's condition?" Fang asked. Lightning lowered her eyes, that grief returning.

"Not yet."

"They'll come." Fang said with more conviction than Lightning had, and when she didn't raise her eyes to that, something gripped her hand. Lightning blinked up in surprise at the grip, seeing Fang's hand. "She's going to get better, Lightning." Fang didn't really seem to notice her reaction, eyes just on Jihl now. Lightning thought she saw something powerful there, and it gripped her the way Fang's arrival had made her feel better yesterday.

"I know it," Fang said, and it really sounded like she did. "She's not going to hurt Jihl. I can sense it."

Lightning's eyes stayed on her, not knowing how Fang could be so sure about it. She didn't sound wishful, but how was Fang able to say that with such conviction like she knew it'd be okay. How could Fang sense that? Then Fang's eyes turned from Jihl, taking in Lightning's wistful features, wanting to believe that. "Give it a day," Fang promised her, "Two at most. Jihl will wake up from this."

"You're sure," Lightning said like a question, though she could tell alone from Fang's eyes.

"Yeah," Fang squeezed her hand, which felt so warm between her long, strong fingers. "I'm sure." Lightning's eyes lowered to Jihl again where their hands had clasped over her stomach. Fang gave one last comforting pulse, then said. "I have to tell Jeanne and Cereza." Her fingers pulled free from Lightning's, leaving Lightning's bare to find warmth over Jihl instead. She missed them.

"Will you come back?" Lightning asked as Fang stood. With the Yun there, Lightning could almost believe it. Doubt would creep back with Fang's absence again.

"I'll come back." Fang promised. Lightning watched her as she left, then turned eyes on Jihl again, her pale, motionless girlfriend a small body away from Rhea dividing them.

She prayed Fang was right.

**XXX**

"You know this," Jeanne said in similar disbelief as Lightning.

"Yes," Fang answered, undeterred from relaying it to them. The mothers needed some kind of good news here, and Fang knew she was right. She only had to make them believe it too. "I can sense it. Jihl's coming out of it. She'll wake up soon."

Jeanne sat in exhaustion. Cereza looked more tired than her usual self too; Jihl's illness wore on both of them. "Fang," Jeanne requested softly, "Can you show us your brand?"

Fang did so without objecting, but voiced. "I don't think that's it," she pulled up her sleeve and walked close enough for Jeanne to see it hadn't changed, not on the grayed part or under it.

Jeanne surveyed it, but didn't seem eased as Cereza took a look, then waved Fang down again. "You bit her, Fang. It wouldn't heal."

"I know…" Fang agreed uneasily; she'd felt so driven to it at the time, an internal need to bite and have Jihl right then. She didn't know how to explain that to Jihl's parents either. The lack of healing boggled Fang as much as them. "I'm sorry."

"Did you do something to her?" Jeanne asked in a blurt of fear and frustration. Fang didn't blame her.

"I don't know," Fang replied honestly, wishing she had more to tell the poor mother.

"How do you know Jihl will get better, Fang?" Cereza asked, arm moving over Jeanne's shoulders in comforting.

Fang didn't know how to supply this answer either. It was more than a feeling; she knew it, could feel it with every fiber that Jihl was going to be fine, no question about it. But… how to say that?

"I just know it." Fang finally said, "My kid isn't going to hurt her. She'll be back within two days at most."

Jeanne slumped against Cereza, so tired, so beaten, with such broken hope in her eyes. "I hope you're right, Fang," Fang could tell she had trouble believing it too, though Cereza regarded her with a steadier manner than her wife.

"Thank you for telling us, Fang." Fang nodded once and Cereza did behind her too. "You can go."

Whether or not they believed her yet, Jihl would wake soon, and Fang took comfort in that.

**XXX**

"Do you need any help?" Lightning asked from her spot on the bed next to Jihl. With Rhea gone with her friends and Jeanne having just disappeared with Cereza and Raina to the kitchen to busy themselves with something, Lightning had returned to her favored position in keeping Jihl warm. Fang wasn't going to disturb that.

"No, thanks," she knocked out another heavy chunk of the wall that led to the hallway, the one she'd crashed through and formed a person-sized hole in it. The whole thing had to be replaced, hence her current chore of knocking out the clinging bits. "Sorry if I'm making too much noise for you."

"You're fine," Lightning brushed off. Fang tore out another chunk and discarded the bits into a behemoth skin rug that wouldn't rip when she bundled it up to take it down. "You're pretty handy about that."

"Lotta things broke here over the years," Fang cracked another chunk in half so it'd fit in the skin. Dust and wall bits were getting everywhere and aggravated her sensitive nose. Fang scrunched it. "It's not the first wall that's needed replacing. Kinda comes with the job when there's a little Umbra midget running around the house."

"Still nice of you to do it."

Fang shrugged. "Gives me something _to_ do. Jeanne and Cereza have enough to worry about without home repairs. Most of them are from Rhea anyway." Lightning didn't say anything immediately, and Fang assumed she'd returned to caring for Jihl. She ripped out the rest of the hanging pieces. When the big chunks had fallen away, Fang picked up the diamond-edged longsword from the ground, one of the Umbra's stored weapons, and evened out the top where she'd raggedly torn out pieces.

"That doesn't threaten the foundation?" Lightning asked. Fang didn't mind her attempts at small-talk so much anymore. It wasn't awkward when they weren't fucking each other for kids every morning.

"It's not a support beam," Fang answered, cutting through with acute precision to keep it level. "We're lucky she didn't throw me through the bathroom. That would've been a problem.

"You rebounded from it pretty fast," Lightning recollected. "You weren't injured from that?"

"A little achy, maybe. I don't heal as fast as Umbra, but injuries close up on me faster than normal. I think I'm a little more durable too." Not wanting to press her further into conversation that would make her tentative, Fang abruptly asked, "How's Jihl's neck?"

"It's looking a little better." Lightning thumbed over the spot. "You really know how to chomp, don't you?"

"Sorry about that," Fang apologized again. "I hope it clears up on her completely."

"It's okay," Lightning breathed quietly, settling back in against her. She was quiet another moment, then finally asked, "Fang?" Fang glanced at her, wary. Lightning seemed to be shying up again. She hoped it wasn't anything dire.

"Yeah?" Fang asked when it seemed like she needed the say so to speak.

"I…" Lightning wouldn't look at her completely, never a good sign. Finally, she said, "I need a shower. Could you…"

"I'll watch her," Fang volunteered with a small breath of relief. That wasn't such a bad thing.

"Thank you," Lightning started to pull up from the bed. "She shouldn't need anything, but if you sense she needs a cleaning… just let me know." She grabbed a few things from her closet and drawer. "I'll be back in a little bit." Fang nodded and let her disappear into the bathroom. She checked the still picture of Jihl on the bed, and went over to her for a moment to check that she was alright. When everything seemed fine and Jihl seemed tucked in just fine, Fang returned to the wall to shave the edges purely clean. She glimpsed Jihl every now and again, but the woman didn't seem in need any way, so Fang continued working easily.

Halfway into shaving bits off the side wall, Fang's ears perked suddenly at a disturbance that wasn't cutting wall from the frame. Her eyes turned to Jihl instantly and blinked. Jihl's hand twitched at her side, a first movement any of them had seen. Fang went to her immediately and loomed over to take her in completely. Jihl made another small sound, half mumbling in a whimper, and fidgeted a little. Her eyebrows fluttered. Fang froze. "Jihl?"

"Hey…" Jihl almost murmured, the first two letters anyway.

"Lightning!" Fang called out, but Lightning didn't hear her. Of course she didn't hear her; she was locked in the soundproof bathroom. Fang started away for it, but Jihl reached up and grabbed Fang's arm in a tight grip.

"Noh…" Jihl murmured, seeming so tired, which contrasted that grip. "Stay."

Fang could break the grip if she wanted, but the risk of hurting Jihl was too great. Add on that, her heart was racing; Jihl ordered her to stay and obviously wanted someone there. She could pass out again any minute if Fang went away, but then Lightning might not get to see her awake and the poor girl really needed that— "Herr," Jihl insisted weakly, tugging Fang closer with great strength for such a state of weakness. She blinked up at Fang and looked at her through glossy eyes, then smiled slowly. "Herr for me." Jihl said sleepily, seeming happy.

"Jihl," Fang swallowed a gulp, "I'll get her, she's right here in the— "

"Shhh, baby," Jihl hushed, shaking her head a very little bit. She lifted a hand to steady on Fang's shoulder when that seemed too much for her. "Here," Jihl's words clarified quietly as her fingers dropped down her forearm to grip Fang's hand. "Here."

"What?" Fang didn't understand.

Jihl removed her hand from shoulder and summoned Fang closer with a finger to make her out. Fang lowered to the girl's command to listen more closely, but then Jihl's fingers cupped her cheek. Jihl pulled her down rightly to meet Fang's mouth with her lips. They soothed over Fang's passionately, gentle, and Fang utterly froze as everything in her head lock-stiffened to complete immobility. Jihl's lips cupped hers and suckled, liking the taste. She dragged over them softly, massaging hers in tender passion. And then Jihl tongued her with such loving care, Fang gaped when the hardness pressed so firmly to her jeans, taking her entirely off guard with how full and pressured she instantly felt.

Jihl _mmm_ed and pulled Fang closer by the hand, over her a little until Fang practically knelt on her and the side of the bed. Jihl soothed her lower lip with a wet tongue that threatened to dip into her mouth until Fang pressed into her thigh. Jihl paused, retracting her tongue, and parted a breathing second. "You're not Lightning."

Fang stared into murky greens, three shades deeper than her own. She could barely breathe for how tightly her pants pressed to Jihl's leg. "No."

Jihl's brow furrowed, then glanced down Fang in suspicion. "Are you humping me again?" Fang didn't say anything and swallowed thickly. Jihl gave her a look. "You can get off of me now."

"Yeah…" Fang lifted from her, careful not to bump her with that throbbing third leg. Jihl sat up and grimaced instantly, folding her neck back in pain.

"Aghk, what the hell?"

"You've been unconscious a few days." Fang informed, silently quaking. Jihl's brow furrowed even deeper.

"I've been what?" she eyed Fang with suspicion, "Where's Lightning? Why are you in my bed and not her?" Fang had trouble answering, still caught grasping at how that'd happened and how incredibly tight her jeans felt. When she didn't immediately answer, Jihl quirked an eyebrow. "Are you okay? My intention wasn't to kiss you, if that makes you feel any better. Sorry."

Jihl swiped off her blankets where she sat dressed in the small things Rhea had put her in last changing. She tried to stand on shaky legs, but collapsed instantly with a groan. Fang rushed her and caught her before she could fall, instincts registering before self-preservation to catch Jihl.

"Agh!" Jihl winced again with too much movement and the clamping grip holding her up.

"Don't try to stand," Fang cautioned quickly, looking away from her with such a hot flush through her body. She had to get out of here fast and drop Jihl faster, which she quickly made to do in pushing her back to the bed. "I'll get— "

"Fang?" Jihl surveyed with such a high eyebrow. "Are you blushing?"

"No," Fang protested weakly, the opposite obvious to Jihl. Fang hurriedly tried to shuffle her back off to the bed.

"Huh." Jihl looked her over in confusion, forced to sit as Fang pushed her down to it. "What's going on?"

The door to the bathroom opened in the most untimely fashion. "Fang, I'm done." Lightning announced, towel-drying her hair. "Thanks for watching…" Lightning stopped dead at the sight of her sitting up in bed. "Jihl!" Fang backed up quickly as Lightning practically flew to the girl on the bed and grabbed her. Jihl laughed as she took in her actual girlfriend and started to kiss her lovingly on the bed. Fang turned her eyes away and contemplated the distance to the hole in the wall where she could escape. Fang started for it.

"Fang, you were right!" Lightning unexpectedly exclaimed to her turned back, freezing Fang as some noise of shuffling came from the bed. She'd probably only stopped kissing Jihl in remembering to be polite to Fang. Fang wished she hadn't.

"Yeah…" Fang didn't turn to her. "Congratulations." She stiffened again. Her brain was going retarded with trying to hide her blatant arousal she hoped Lightning wouldn't see.

But of course, the answer and the sound of it only concerned Lightning too. "Fang… are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Fang peeped, wanting nothing more than to get away.

"She's just being shy," Jihl filled in, "I accidentally kissed her, so now she's all hard again. You should go take care of that, Fang. I thought you were Lightning; sorry for startling."

Fang could practically feel Lightning's confusion multiply on itself in the look she must be giving her back currently. "But… we've already put the spell on Jihl."

"Spell? What spell? Somebody put a spell on me?"

Fang cleared her throat in swallowing again and meekly said, "I should go."

"Fang…" Lightning meekly said, and Fang could tell she wanted to talk about it yet. Fang didn't. Not while she was like this. Not ever, really, but she'd be better able to face Lightning and Jihl in apology without a throbbing boner holding her up.

"I'm sorry," Fang answered Lightning meekly, pleading with whatever humanity she had to leave.

"Wow…" Lightning murmured quietly, not sure how to take that. "I didn't think… I mean… you're sure you're okay, Fang? That's…" mind-blowing? Fang felt the same way.

"Can someone tell me what's going on here?" Jihl complained.

"Um…" Lightning didn't know exactly how to tell her. Fang felt her pain, but release didn't seem to be in the cards for her at present, so she offered the awkward explanation to Jihl instead. At least to break them from this standstill. Jihl always seemed to handle these things better anyway, maybe she would excuse her. Maybe…

"Raina found a cure for the Umbra scent that arouses Yuns." Fang explained simply, still turned away. "It's a spell. She's already put it on you and Lightning."

"Oh," Jihl took that in, "Well, that's good, isn't – oh!" Jihl realized then, "You're aroused from me!" Fang winced. On the other hand, she hadn't taken Jihl's bluntness into proper account. At least Lightning didn't verbally say it. "Well, that's awkward and inappropriate. And kind of flattering, actually." When nobody spoke and Fang still didn't move to look at them, Jihl scoffed. "Oh come on, are we making a big deal out of this? It's the natural body reaction to kissing a beautiful girl. I've never kissed anybody who _didn't _get hard from it. Except Lightning, but she totally would if she had the parts." When the silence continued, Jihl sighed. "Fang tried to hump me the other day; we're not making a big deal out of that."

"It's different, Jihl." Lightning said quietly, and Fang soundless agreed. It definitely was. She closed her eyes. She hadn't been aroused by a woman out of actual feeling since… since Summer. She didn't think herself capable of it out of mechanic mode, and it scared her. "Are you okay, Fang?" Lightning asked gently, a loaded question Fang didn't know how to answer. "Do you want to talk about it?" Lightning offered, sweet beneath her plagued exterior.

Fang shook her head. "No… please."

"Okay," Lightning agreed quietly.

"Can we not make this weird again? We'd just reached a comfortable place." Jihl pleaded with both of them, and Fang actually agreed. She rather not process this… fluke into what'd been a comfortable standing. "I'm more than happy to think Fang's more aroused with my baby than me. In a slightly more appropriate context than that sounds."

"Is that what you want, Fang?" Lightning asked, tentative but getting it that Fang liked Jihl's stances more on it.

"Yes," Fang breathed. It'd been a good thing to bring it up in front of Jihl after all. She handled these things best for all of them. "Please."

"Okay then," Jihl agreed, "I'm sorry for arousing you, Fang. If you need to take care of yourself now, we don't mind."

"I can leave?" Fang double checked.

"You can leave, Fang." Jihl added. "…You can always leave if you're too uncomfortable."

"Thank you," Fang breathed, blessing Jihl's mercy. She paused only a moment longer to add. "Don't use your powers. They'll hurt the baby… Jeanne can tell you about it."

"I won't, Fang." Jihl promised, and Fang finally started to leave.

Lingering behind her, she heard Jihl's, "Now, what's going on?" to Lightning, but didn't stay for it. Retreating quickly, Fang left to the safe sanctity of her room and collapsed once she'd shut the door, hands going to her head in disbelief as she stared at the familiar bulge between her legs. Jihl had raped her only a little while ago. Even if it was as she suggested, spur of the moment out of an attraction born out of her pregnancy, she had raped Fang for that. And Fang found it… attractive.

Fang cradled her aching head and struggled to accomplish the simple process of easy breathing.


	45. Chapter 45

Jihl frowningly touched at the spot, handheld mirror held to reflect the indentations within the bruising on her collar that came from teeth. "What do you think?" Lightning asked gently. "It's fading a little…"

"Well, I didn't expect my first permanent marks here to be from Fang." Jihl confessed with a little pout, touching at the indentations with a finger, "Maybe you can bite over them when they're healed. Make them yours instead."

"Jihl…" Jihl glanced over to her girlfriend, seeing Lightning like she might break again.

"I'm okay, Light." Jihl tried to assure again, showing herself to Lightning as proof. "See? Just a little power-flowy different, but that's just the baby, I suppose." Lightning looked back at the metal handle of the mirror she had crushed upon touching.

"We still don't know why it wouldn't heal."

"Maybe I'm just more fragile with the baby or something," Jihl shrugged, not so concerned with that. "Fang doesn't heal, so maybe the baby's just stopping me from it too." Jihl remembered Lightning's fingers being crushed under her grip. She sent another sideways look to her hand to make sure it indeed was all better again. "We'll get mums in a minute," Jihl finally relented. "I just want a moment with you first. Sort out what we can."

"Okay," Lightning seemed a little more assured with the promise to fetch her mothers soon.

"So, recapping," Jihl started, "After I went crazy, I passed out for four days after mini-Rok woke up in me," Lightning nodded, "I'm incredibly stronger and practically overflowing of power, which I probably shouldn't use because it's magic," Lightning nodded again, "And finally, you dressed me like a strip tease because you missed me and my body too much."

"That was Rhea," Lightning filled in, protecting herself from the last one.

"A likely story," Jihl scoffed, "Blame the little sister I won't. Sneaky." It earned her a small smile. Jihl was glad to see it on her girlfriend. "Rising urge to hump you," Jihl warned, though she wouldn't. Not yet when she could still risk hurting Lightning. "Maybe you should get my mothers," Jihl suggested, "they can show me how to control this strength, and I can get to mounting you again."

"I think we should too," Lightning agreed, "For other reasons too… your moms have been worried just as much as I have about you."

"I'd ask you to help me stand and get them, but…"

"Don't worry, Jihl." Lightning promised, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "I'll get them."

"Hey," Jihl protested, "No fair. No touching me when I can't touch you back."

"This no-touching may not be such a bad thing," Lightning smiled, and received a deep warning for it.

"You will scream soo much if you dare."

"I'll be right back," Lightning smiled in leaving her bed. "Don't poke anything." Jihl gave her a rude gesture and rolled onto her stomach, groaning. Her body hurt and hummed at the same time, stronger than ever and overflowing with this… this feeling, yet Jihl couldn't even trust her own legs to support her. She ached. Maybe Lightning could touch her a little… Jihl had been damn lucky she hadn't squeezed Lightning when she assaulted her this morning. Could've ended in bad ways.

Jihl heard rushing footsteps on the stairs coming up and settled in against the bed. "Jihl!" Jeanne and Cereza both cried, and Jihl smiled into the pillow. She gaped, eyes unexpectedly popping as she was unexpectedly lifted from the bed and squeezed, then crushed between two people. "Mums!" Jihl held her arms and legs out distinctly to keep from hurting either of them. "I don't want to break you!"

"Jihl," Jeanne barely breathed while Cereza's grip tightened around her.

"You scared us so much." Jihl puffed, squeezed.

"I'm okay, Mums." Then when they didn't let go, she admitted, "Is it just me, or do I seem to do this a lot with the hugging of relief?"

"You're our daughter," Cereza said in a breath, finally releasing her and Jeanne set her back down. "You're supposed to."

"Well, I do it exceptionally well then, don't I?" Jihl settled back to the bed, her mothers sitting with her. Lightning had climbed in too during her squeezing. "So, Mums," Jihl addressed, "How do I keep the strength away?"

"Well," Cereza said with a faint smile, "You could just stop touching things for the next fourteen months."

"Right," Jihl passed off that option immediately, "What's the next option?"

"Wait," Lightning paused them all. "Fourteen months? There's an after-pregnancy period she'll still have it?"

"Oh," Cereza shook her head, "You wouldn't know, would you?"

"Know what?" Lightning asked suspiciously.

"Full-Umbra births last 15 months, Lightning," Cereza filled in gently.

"_Fifteen months?" _Jihl spewed in open mouthed disbelief.

"They're a little longer than Yun births or men." Jeanne nodded, taking in Jihl, who sputtered.

"_A little?"_

"Jihl…" Lightning cautioned tentatively.

Jihl choked in astonishment. She'd be over a year pregnant with the baby? "What's she doing in there all that time?!"

"She's developing," Jeanne answered like she was three.

"Oh, Gods," Jihl groaned. "Lightning, hug me." Lightning's arms slid in around Jihl from behind.

"Poor baby," Cereza cooed.

"Poor baby?" Jihl moaned in despair. "Poor me!" Jihl slouched forward as someone ran a hand through her hair.

"We haven't had one of our children give birth before," Jeanne tried to ease, "She'll be three fourths Yun. It might be less, Jihl."

Jihl whimpered in defeat. Lightning squeezed around the back of her kindly. "I'll be there," she whispered, stirring poor Jihl's pounding heart. Jihl tried to sooth herself quietly, leaning back against Lightning without pressing a bit to make sure she wouldn't hurt her. She stared at her stomach where the source of the humming through her body lay. It'd be such a long road in coming before she shared a little girl with Lightning. It scared her witless just to think…

"You'll be okay, Jihl," Cereza alleviated, "You might even come to like pregnancy." Jihl didn't know how past the fright of it. "Your strength might take a little bit to master," Cereza cautioned, "Especially when you and Lightning hadn't obtained the full power of it, but Jeanne and I will practice with you, Sweetie. It's just as important to learn quickly for your baby."

"Okay," Jihl murmured in lifting her eyes back to her loving mothers and Lightning behind her. She couldn't guarantee anything, but with family… maybe she could make it through this. Jihl hoped desperately.

Farron surveyed the entry at the top of the stairs where a beautiful land lay above, hidden in a mask of peaceful serenity with beautiful fountains, balconies, a paved, stone walkway through the lush growth around the marble mansions one could barely call a house. Farron peeped up through the opening with a new problem she hadn't quite expected when she'd surged after her lover in all good intentions to rescue her from whatever the Umbra might be doing to her, keeping her hostage over a full week.

Heavens knew what kind of horrors Raina had encountered while here. Farron had received a letter three days ago that'd been suspiciously vague. In Raina's handwriting, she'd wrote Farron that she was safe, not to worry, and that her stay had been extended a little longer than they'd thought. Don't come, she'd ended in saying, which had only given Farron a restless night of sleep, imagining her poor mate in Umbra captivity, warning Farron away. It sounded just like Raina to do such a thing. It didn't matter; Farron was here now and she'd sneak her mate away.

If only she knew where they'd keep prisoners in this place… hmm, Farron surveyed the lands from her peep-place at the top of the stairs, hidden by the convenient lip of rock above the stairs. It would take a bit of recon to find where they hid prisoners; Farron doubted they'd leave such a dangerous thing out in the open for anybody to see. No, these Umbra maintained the presence of peace at all costs. What she was looking for would be hidden away. Who had Raina said she trusted before leaving? John? Farron had to find her.

She wouldn't be allowed to come into direct contact with anybody, not unless she knew she could trust them. Any of these Umbra could overpower her or simply Witch Time her away. It was a dangerous game; Umbra could literally pop out of nowhere on her and grab her right up. Farron doubted they'd see her, but she allowed for any possibility, slim as it might be.

Surveying her immediate surroundings one last time with senses as much as sight, Farron finally slipped from cover of the stairway to make the most dangerous passing she'd have to across open ground where someone might see. She skirted through the darkness quickly until she reached the first mansion house with comforting shadows that she slipped in more comfortably. From there, she slid around to the backside of the house facing the cliff. Perfect.

Farron pulled her broad-base, flat, adamantite knives from sheaths strapped to her legs. Normally, she wouldn't have to use these to scale a building, but the Umbra construction was so impossibly tall and smooth, it was best to lean on the side of caution this time. Stabbing into the marble housing at the smooth, straight edge of the house, Farron started her quick scaling, using the window's edge and the dents she'd made for balance. She reached the top of the three-story building within minutes with a small satisfaction in the dents her knives had made cutting in. She sheathed the blades back to her legs and perched on the rounded top of the building, scanning out more distinctly with the view.

Seeing a dart of movement about a mile east, Farron made for it quickly, jumping gaps between the roofs on silent feet as she tracked the small movement before a shallow _click, click, click_ of heels increasingly registered to sensitive ears. Farron followed the clicking until it stopped, which was when she did. Her sensitive hearing picked up the conversation easily far below. "Nerites?" One starkly white haired one, an easier than most target to follow, looked to her two companions, a brunette and a dim, creamy-shaded blonde in confusion. "What is she doing here, Persephone?"

Farron's nose twitched when the drifts of an ungodly pleasant scent tickled her nose, one that hadn't in a long time. On the updraft, the arousing scents of three Umbra drifted and took effect on her in the sweet, untimely stiffening in her jeans. Farron winced. She'd forgotten about that effect.

"She wanted to help," the cream blonde, Persephone, answered simply. "I don't think you should pass up the offer."

"Do you not?" the stark white one sneered, "How very noble of you, Persephone. Nerites— "

"I know you're not going to leave her, Cybele. That's not why I'm here."

"Really?" Cybele challenged in clear disbelief. "Then why come?"

"I'm extending the offer you don't want to believe," Nerites shook her head. "Whether you balk at it or not, Cybele. I don't care what side you take. You can always escape to my place if you need. Whatever the terms for however long you want. I'm tired of seeing Roma kick you around like her plaything."

Cybele lowered her head, quiet for a moment before she said with conviction. "She's going to come out of it, Nerites."

Interesting, Farron thought with narrowed eyes. One of them was afraid of their own? Even more than one of them, it seemed.

"Whether she does or doesn't," Nerites insisted at the weak protest. "You can stay with me. Any time you need. On your terms, Cybele."

"You sound like Jeanne." Cybele said faintly. Jeanne! Farron detected, hoping it might be more than a passing mention. She just needed a direction, that was all.

"I'm not Jeanne," Nerites told firmly, "I don't give a shit about Fang, and I won't say a thing about Roma you already know and don't want to hear. This is my offer, Cybele. No shame, no questions, just _take it_ when you need it."

Cybele didn't say anything to it, but exchanged a look with Persephone after. "I suppose you're here to sway my guilt over Fang?"

"Just accompanying Nerites." Persephone corrected.

"Good," Cybele said, obviously not wanting to hear Persephone's words over the poor Yun Raina had spoken of many times over again. "Good luck with Nephelai then, Persephone." Such long, complicated names! Farron thought with a sigh.

"And you with Roma," Persephone shared, obviously sharing some kind of woes with Cybele.

Then less formally, Cybele bid. "Bye, Nerites."

"I hope to see you, Cybele." Nerites echoed back gravely, then turned around into the night and started leaving. Cybele went off her own way. Persephone started following, which earned her a look from Cybele. "Following me?"

"Going to Jeanne's," Persephone corrected again, perking Farron's ears right up. What were the chances of that? Perfect! "I have some herbs for Jihl."

Jihl. Farron's brow furrowed. That was a name she recognized; Raina had often spoken of Jeanne's daughter dying alongside their own baby. And now a girl of the same name lived in their house? Maybe Jeanne had named a second daughter after the first when she'd died, though Farron found the thought a little morbid. She and Raina had never been able to replace their firstborn Claire. They never would, either.

Farron followed the light blonde haired woman until she came up to a house underneath her and bid Cybele a second goodbye. Farron waited on the rooftop for a time, comfortable in her perch. She'd wait all night if she had to. The Umbra were night people, which logically meant it should be easier to find what she sought during the day, but daytime had harder shadows to find, and Farron would be easier to see. She preferred to accomplish this at night if she could. Farron breathed in the crisp air and settled herself again, now that the Umbra scents had disappeared. And she might have to tackle this task with a boner if that happened again.


	46. Chapter 46

Fifteen minutes later, when Persephone finally emerged, Farron waited for her clicking footsteps to tap away before she acted. Grabbing hold of one of the wide pillars, she roped around the bulky end of it and grabbed tight. Farron slid down the wide pillar with a _swish_ of sliding belt and slowed her descent towards the bottom. She quickly belted her pants again to keep them from getting loose, easily sliding into a shadow on the house that would see her practically invisible. She peeped into the large window out front from her spot flattened against the house. Nobody there. She ducked down under the window and skirted to the other side to glimpse. Nothing. The room was empty and obviously a kitchen, a room that Umbra used seldom enough with their tiny appetites for green things. She had cured Raina of that, thankfully.

Carefully slipping one of her thin stilettos from a sheath in her forearm, Farron pried the bottom edge of the window until her thin blade slipped in. She merely cut through the lock, blade and hand both strong enough to slice through the latch. Sheathing the shiny metal back in the strap in her sleeve, Farron pulled up the window a tiny bit to listen.

The smell of hot stew over fire registered first, which was curious enough because she smelled meat in it, but the mixture could possibly be for the daughter Jihl she'd heard mentioned. Otherwise stood the possibility of Fang as well. Though it smelled an awfully lot like the delightful spices Raina used in cooking, Farron wiped the pleasing mixture from her mind. She had to focus and keep a clear head away from alluring, dangerous things that could stir her from her purpose. Focus yes, food no. Farron heard nothing immediately from the inside. Carefully, she lifted the window just a peek more and listened. The faint whisper of voices brushed from somewhere upstairs; inaudible words, but faint whispers that told Farron people were home after all. She tried to make out how many, but couldn't get a good enough reading on it from her current spot.

Carefully, Farron lifted the window further, pausing to listen, then lifted more. She slipped inside easily over a counter and sink. Normally, Farron would enter a household from the second floor, but Umbra knew the art of soundproofing. If the whole house wasn't protected with it, Farron knew the bedrooms would be, which would make her practically blind to incoming dangers. At least here, most of the rooms were broad and open. Farron would have more warning before someone came. Sliding shut the window behind her, Farron eased her way along the wall. She peeped down the long, empty hallway, and easily slipped in, rushing to the other end where she fell into the comfort of a shadow next to the stairs. Here, Farron could hear their voices perfectly. Someone must've left open a door somewhere.

"You're certainly hungry," an unknown voice said.

"I've been on an all-liquids diet for four days," a second complained, and Farron felt immense sympathy at the words. "Leave me alone."

"You can have as much as you'd like, Jihl." A third voice, one Farron recognized in an instant, spoke kindly. Raina! What was she doing here, offering food to Jeanne's daughter? She was supposed to be in chains or… or some kind of prison! Maybe they had her in magical captivity of some sort, but she didn't sound very stressed.

"It's so good," Jihl mumbled over the food.

"Would you like more?" Raina offered kindly, followed by something that must've been silent begging, for Raina chuckled and said. "I'll get you both more; don't worry. I'll be right back, girls." Farron stiffened to the wall, heart racing as footsteps echoed above, then drew closer as she descended the stairs. Farron saw the gun-heels first, then her unmistakable legs wrapped in silken auburn hair. Raina descended the stairs in her full glory, seemingly unharmed as she reached the very bottom of the stairs. Farron crouched out from her shadow, following just behind as Raina's feet touched the last step. Reaching out as she touched the bottom landing and started for the kitchen, Farron snatched her around the middle with a desperate _Shh!_

What should've been predictable, Raina did not _shh _as commanded. Rather, she made quite a ruckus about it. Dropping something that crashed as loud as falling silverware from her hands, Farron squeaked with a little pant as a _very _strong arm reached back and slammed her to the wall. A shot went off somewhere right next to her head before the barrel of a Rose shotgun found a nuzzled spot against her forehead. Farron went limp in an instant, dropping just as a shot fired off, skimming the very tips of the middle strip of her spikey, pink hair. "Hey!" Farron protested, flopped on her butt on the ground before Raina looked down at her with wide and growing eyes.

"Farron!" she got out furiously before footsteps clicked the floor.

"Raina!"

Farron squeaked as, out of nowhere, she was suddenly up off two feet and being pressed to the wall in an angry Umbra grip with two other Umbra behind Raina, looking straight at Farron who couldn't even touch her feet to the ground. "Raina!"

"What. Are you doing here?"

Her mate was not a happy one. "You disappeared!" Farron defended, glancing back at the two Umbra behind her, then hushed her voice. "I had to save you." Farron really wished her feet would touch the floor. Much as it seemed equally intimidating with Raina's height on her, at least she had some meager measure of control with her feet on the ground.

"I. Gave. You. A. Note. Raina painted out in that painfully scary division of her words that had Farron looking feeble, held and dangling by her woman.

"It was vague!" Farron protested, wiggling to shake free of her adamantite grip. Sometimes she managed to wiggle out. Not this time. "You could've been dying for all I knew! They could've made you write it!"

"_They _don't know about you!"

"Oh," Oops, "Well, the point still stands! You could've been dying and wrote me that just to keep me away."

"Which you didn't do!" Raina roared, and Farron suddenly found herself grabbed like a child and lifted under Raina's arm. "I'm taking you home."

"Raina! Would you listen to me?" Farron protested in squirming, tucked under her arm like a little package. They were at the back door faster than her eyes could follow. "At least tell me why you've stayed so long!" Halfway into the back yard. Farron slumped in utter defeat.

A tiny cry in the distance perked her rigid again. "Serah?"

Raina stopped completely. Of course she'd heard that one; Witch Time for all of Farrons questions but that. Just Farron's luck. "You brought Serah?" Raina was furious.

"Of course not!" Farron yelped as the grip around her abdominals tightened. "I left her with Wynn and Sabre back home!" But then the little cry came again, and Farron stiffened, triggering Raina to as well.

"Which way?" Raina demanded harshly.

"Back at the house." Farron slumped, the sound unmistakable. Her heart raced. Raina dropped her then with the order.

"Stay _here_." And was gone.

"Like hell!" Farron protested after her disappeared figure and raced back for the house. She could hide if she needed to, but if Serah had come… that meant she'd followed Farron, and Farron wasn't going to let anything happen to her family because she had come after Raina.

"Mom!" Serah blurted unthinkingly somewhere away. Farron heard her whimper a few seconds after, "Please put me down," the captive of evil Umbra and quaking. Farron was back in the house in moments and slid into another shadow easily in the room of four Umbra, including her wife. Hanging by the back of her shirt scruff in a powerful Umbra grip, one Farron recognized from earlier as Persephone, Serah cringed under the direct gazes of all five women, petrified. Dammit! Farron _knew _something had pushed her along that once when she'd stopped to hunt. Nobody found a fresh kill just lying around, completely unpicked and meaty. Dammit, Serah!

"She's yours, Raina?" Persephone asked with a raised eyebrow in looking from the girl to mother. "You found Farron again… "

"Just put her down, Persephone," Raina snapped and the Umbra abided, carefully setting the girl to the floor. Serah ran to Raina's legs as soon as her feet hit the floor and clung to them.

"I'm sorry, Mom." Serah mumbled in trembling, clinging to her mother's thigh.

"She's thirteen?" Persephone guessed with unerring accuracy, looking at Raina with something her wife didn't want dawning in those Umbra's eyes.

"It doesn't matter," Raina cut off sharply, bending to pick up her child and hoist her to her hip to hold, "Shh," she told Serah more quietly as the girl trembled against her mother and apologized again. "It's okay, Sweetie."

"Dad?" Farron stiffened, eyes turning to the unexpected voice on the stairs where a black-haired girl caught her completely unawares, silent as a cat. Farron hadn't even heard her. Looking to be somewhere in her late teens or early twenties, though Farron couldn't be sure with Umbra aging, she stared at Farron in her hidden place in the shadow directly, sky blue eyes a little more crystalline than Raina's. They reminded Farron of Claire's a little, though many girls must have eyes like that along the line. It didn't stop Farron's heart from stopping for a moment, though. She'd been seen.

The girl on the stairs stared at her with wide eyes. 'Dad,' she'd called her, though Farron couldn't imagine why. Perhaps she hadn't seen as much of her as Farron thought. She took a step closer. Farron took a careful, slow step back, then zipped around the corner into the well-lit kitchen. "Hey!" the girl called after her, and Farron had about a second to decide on the pantry before her footsteps echoed after. Farron just inched the door almost-shut but for a fine crack as the girl came in after her. Farron held her breath to keep from making noise, back pressed painfully against the shelves that had her rigid between the door and the shelves in such an uncomfortable fashion.

Through the crack, Farron could see the girl come to a stop in the kitchen and look around. She might not check the pantry first only because there was so little room to imagine a person could squeeze into there, but she'd figure it out eventually and Farron would be toast with the woman. "Hello?" the girl echoed in confusion, sure of what she'd seen a minute ago, but not so certain now.

Carefully, with slow and exact precision, Farron lowered her hand to a pocket and pulled free a poison-laced dart out of her pocket. Silently, she uncapped the protective hood on it with the smooth shift of a thumb. The girl was already looking back, wondering if she'd gone another way, had crossed the kitchen, or had stayed. Her indecision would be the death of her, or at least, the passing out. The dart wouldn't kill her, of course. Farron just had to remain hidden.

But… she was just a girl, young and impressionable. And she couldn't have seen her correctly to call her 'dad.' In fact, why would she have said that at all? Farron wondered deeper in watching her. No fathers lived in Paradiso; it was an Umbra's paradise where all the Umbra mothers resided with their children. First, there'd been the suspicious mention of a Jihl, now a girl Claire's age with her eyes called her dad… and Raina had unexpectedly extended her visit. But… it wasn't possible. Claire was dead. And Raina would've told her if she knew otherwise.

Or would she? Telling such a thing would've brought Farron here faster than a bullet. Admittedly, not telling her had done the same thing, but Raina hadn't expected her to come. Had Raina tried to hide this from her to keep her away? Hell, how Farron would have a fit if that were true.

Keeping the dart steady at her side, Farron risked her life and whispered, "Claire?"

The girl's head lifted immediately from where she'd been checking the pantry. Unable to determine the source of the hushed voice, she asked again. "Dad?" Farron's heart stopped. It wasn't proof, but it was good enough to have her re-capping the dart and pushing open the pantry door, where the girl's eyes riveted immediately and froze on her.

"You're pink," the girl said in a shallow breath of disbelief, staring right at her fluffy crop of hair that jutted in straight spikes just like the girl's, except down middle with a shorter cut at the back and sides. Hers even had a little flippy in the front that partially covered her eyes, like Farron's

"You're alive." Farron countered, still not sure she believed it with the girl standing in front of her there.

"Yeah…" she swallowed a harsh lump, then her hair started to grow in the long, beautiful Umbra fashion. Except it wasn't black. As the hair lengthened, its true, gorgeous color revealed, a champagne pink that matched Serah's. A pink that matched her own coloring. The girl's eyes lowered with the lengthening of her hair. She stared at the ground a couple of seconds as her hair stopped growing. She bit her lip, fighting to get ahold of herself when she voiced in a quiet manner. "It's really you…"

"Claire…" Farron felt lightheaded. Her baby had been dead. Raina was _there _when it happened! She'd physically seen Claire vaporized. They'd spent almost 23 years in mourning loss over their firstborn, never having forgotten Claire, not for an instant through the years that they lived and grew with Serah as their second, Claire had persisted through every day in their new lives. And now she was here, grown into a woman, whole and beautiful again. It was… it couldn't be…

"Dad!" Claire rushed forward and caught Farron as she fought to keep her eyes open on her baby, not wanting this fantasy reality to drop, despite her body's lethargic disbelief. Claire supported her easily, just short of her full height with eyes that reminded Farron of Raina's, so glisteningly blue. Supported in her daughter's arms, Farron lifted a trembling hand to her cheek, which was warm, fleshy, and alive under her fingers. "Dad, don't pass out," Claire begged, probably seeing the beginning signs of it.

"You're alive," Farron repeated, unable to process beyond that simple fact. Unable to process that, even. Claire was dead. How could she be anything else? How could she be here? It couldn't be.

But it was.

"Mom!" Claire hollered faintly as Farron's lightheadedness grew, and was perhaps speeded by the echo for her other parent. She would kill Raina for this. How could her mate not tell her their daughter was back? It was one thing to keep Farron away from the Umbra, another when something so huge and weighty dropped upon them like this. "Dad… "

When unconsciousness didn't claim her then, Farron sighed at the returning click of footsteps as sounds started registering again. "Give me a moment," she asked because she wouldn't get that when Raina arrived.

"Claire!" Clicking heels snapped closer until they stopped completely in the doorway. Farron peeped an eye open in utter aggravation to see Raina had stopped, wordless in the doorway as she stared at them with wide eyes. Farron straightened herself, impending unconsciousness fading as she got back to her feet again with minimal assistance from Claire.

"Farron," Raina tried to say, anger drained in the sight of them together. "I was trying to protect you."

"You hid our daughter from me!"

"You would've come," Raina defended the atrocious act, "You already came when I told you not to."

Farron's blood boiled in her head; she didn't mean to start shouting, but she couldn't believe Raina was actually defending the action. No matter the reason, this was her girl! "OUR DAUGHTER!"

"I told you I didn't want you anywhere near this place!" Raina shouted back in rising fury, "You brought Serah who's been seen by them! I told you to stay away!"

"_I wasn't going to let my mate be dragged in by them again!_"

"You waited a measly _week!"_

"It was supposed to be a day!"

"Dad…" Claire spoke softly from behind her and tentatively put a hand on Farron's shoulder, which utterly drained her as soon as she looked Claire's way. "Please don't fight," Claire requested meekly. "Mom just wanted to keep you safe. She kept talking about meeting you… she was going to bring me out there, I think." Somewhere behind Raina, Serah echoed back in saying.

"It wasn't Dad's fault I came either, Mom. I followed her." Their younger daughter ducked between Raina's legs to take her hand, but stopped at the sight of Claire there in the kitchen. Claire had frozen too, taking in little Serah with her long, straight hair falling down her back as she gazed at Lightning with astonishment with gray eyes she'd inherited from her dad. "You're my sister." Serah said faintly after a quiet moment had passed.

"Yeah," Claire echoed softly back, clearly in too much astonishment one after the other to say anything else.

"Hi," Serah greeted shyly, never up front about these things in her reserve. Lightning didn't seem to share it. Not in this instance, at least, as she went to her little sister and wrapped her arms around a surprised Serah, who liked hugs and melted into it nicely.

"I didn't know…" Lightning murmured.

"I always wondered what you'd look like." Serah shared, so extremely coy in meeting Claire, but opening up more with the hug.

"How do I compare?"

"You're prettier than what I imagined." Serah bit her lip nervously with a little smile, then looked at her long-falling hair. "How does your hair do that?" Serah asked. "With color on the bottom…"

"It's dyed," Lightning answered simply, holding Serah in her arms.

"Oh! Right… " Serah deduced, "That makes sense."

"Fang's doesn't."

"Huh?"

"Nevermind," Lightning shook her head, finally releasing her with a quiet, "Wow…" Lightning glanced up and seemed to remember Farron and Raina were there. "Uhm," Lightning cleared her throat nervously, glancing between them. "Maybe we should go upstairs…" Lightning suggested with a tentative look cast at both of them. "So Mom and Dad can _talk_ it out first."

Woe be the day their daughters had to break up a fight between them, but they had and Lightning was right. Farron still had things to say to Raina and yelling wasn't going to get them anywhere. Much as she wanted to stay with her eldest immediately, some things had to be said. "That'd be good." Farron agreed.

"You can introduce her to your girlfriend, Claire." Raina said from the other side of the kitchen.

"You have a girlfriend?" Serah asked in surprise, a fact that also proved new to Farron. Where had her daughter been all this time? With Jihl somewhere? She definitely had questions that needed to be asked.

"I'll take you to meet her," Lightning volunteered.

"We'll follow soon," Raina promised, and for the first time in her life, Farron watched her two daughters step away side by side. Her heart trembled at the sight, and when they had left, she crossed to Raina with a softer voice lacking anger.

"Tell me everything," she asked.


	47. Chapter 47

"She's fragile at the moment," Lightning explained as she walked with her sister –her sister!— up the stairs. "She's having a little trouble controlling her strength, so don't be offended if she doesn't hug you or anything."

"Okay," Serah agreed, then balked as they came up near the top of the stairs. "Whoa," she said at the gaping, missing wall. "She did that?"

Lightning nodded, "Still adjusting to her strength." Details could come later, or not, Lightning wasn't sure what was safe to tell a girl Serah's age. Her upbringing hadn't been anything to model after; she didn't know the first thing about what would really be appropriate for a girl Serah's age. "Wait here a second," Lightning advised as they reached the top step, then took a few further to the hole in the wall. "Jihl, are you appropriate?"

"Appropriate enough to start humping you," Jihl responded back, "This no-touchy thing doesn't mean you can't finger me, rig— "

"Jihl!"

"What, is Rhea there or something? What was all that commotion downstairs anyway?"

Lightning cradled her aching head.

"She seems friendly," Serah said with a growing smile.

"Who's that?" Jihl demanded, not recognizing the voice.

"Are you decent?" Lightning asked, suppressing a groan.

"I'm still wearing those tight clothes you dressed me in earlier, yes."

"Please ignore everything she says like that," Lightning asked, taking a smiling Serah's hand.

"Okay, Sis."

"Sis?" Jihl asked as Lightning came in with Serah at her side. "Ohh, it's Serah!" Jihl cried out, delighted. "When did she get here?"

"Just a few minutes ago. And thanks for saying all that."

Jihl shrugged. "She's going to get to know me sometime or another. Hi there, Serah," Jihl greeted easily.

"Hi," Serah greeted in a similar, shy fashion that she'd greeted Lightning.

"I'm Lightning's girlfriend," Jihl introduced casually, "Nice to meet you. Sorry I can't take your hand or anything."

"Lightning?" Serah asked with wide-eyes.

"It's just another name," Lightning passed off.

"Dad wanted to name you Lightning," Serah informed unexpectedly, drawing both their eyes.

"What?"

Serah backed a little at both of their attention. "She wanted it to be your Yun name," Serah said, "But Umbra don't usually take Yun mates, so it would've been too revealing. That's why they named you Claire instead." Lightning's fingers automatically went to her pendant at the revelation. The name… had been her dad's. "Dad gave you that," Serah explained where her fingers were on the pendant.

"Wow," even Jihl sounded a little shocked, "You ended up with a name you would've had. That's crazy."

Serah smiled a little bit at being the holder of that information. She bit her lip again and sat down on the bed with Lightning, curious. "Did you choose your name off of the pendant? 'Cuz that worked out okay then."

"My caregivers did." Then, to steer her sister away from the questions she saw coming from that, Lightning asked, "How about you, Serah? What's your home like?"

"Oh, Claire, it's beautiful." Serah shared, enthused, "We live in a little village." She glanced at the open hole in the wall and lowered her voice, "I can't say where, but it's perfect. I know enough that it's testy with Yuns outside of our village, but it's not like that there."

"Wait," Lightning paused her, "You know what's going on?"

"It's kind of hard not to," Serah confessed with a sad look down, "Our village is isolated, but we still get journeyers sometimes, and they don't… know me or Mom so much. Even without our scent, everyone can tell we're Umbra. Mostly everyone, anyway. Mom's a dead giveaway, but sometimes other tribes mistaken me for full Yun."

"What do you know?" Lightning asked, still unsure of parameters and what would be safe to mention or not.

"Well…" Serah glanced at Jihl uneasily and asked. "You're… Jeanne's Jihl, right? The one Mom thought gone with Claire?"

"I am," Jihl confirmed with an eyebrow, and Serah breathed out in relief.

"Mom says Jeanne's one of the good ones," she explained, "That she wouldn't have hurt Fang or any of the Yuns to get children. Mom and Dad told me everything. They wanted to be honest with me about it." Serah fidgeted nervously, then asked, "You guys know everything too, right?"

Lightning bit the inside of her lip hard. For all the excitement she'd had about meeting her sister, this particular subject would kill any connection she would've possibly been able to make with Serah in an instant. "We know." Lightning confirmed, peeking at Jihl with guilty eyes, who stayed quiet and let her take the lead on this for what Lightning wanted to say. She wasn't going to lie about it; Serah would find out soon enough anyway, better that it'd be from her. "We participated in it." Lightning shared and let that sink in.

"O—ohh," Serah seemed mortified and a little frightened, even. She lowered her eyes. "You… um,"

"It's more complicated than she's making it sound," Jihl offered unexpectedly, "Light thought she was doing the right thing. I was just along for the ride; Lightning called it quits for us. We only found out later that I was pregnant."

"You're pregnant?" Serah blurted in shock, on information nodded. "Fates are evil, huh? Maybe justified, but evil."

"But…" Serah glanced between them with a little, broken heart in her eyes. "What about… Is Fang… does she know?"

"She knows," Jihl assured, offhandedly gesturing. "Bit me over it. But don't worry, Serah. We're going to include her in raising the girl; it's sort of our apology. Fang likes interaction with her girls, and she doesn't get it too often, so."

"Poor Fang," Serah murmured, "I hope that helps." She seemed tentative of asking, but eventually voiced, "You… you emanate a sort of aura. Is that…"

"You can feel that?" Lightning asked, startled. If someone as young as Serah could feel the hum of Jihl's child… she didn't know what that meant, but it felt significant.

"Yeah," Serah shared shy. "…Like a hum or a buzz."

"That's probably my kid," Jihl confirmed, "She's got some power in there."

"So," Serah bit her lip again and looked at Lightning, who felt small in her little sister's eyes. "Why did you… you know? If you can tell me, I mean."

"Stupidity," Lightning murmured, keeping her eyes away. "I didn't realize something I should've a long time ago."  
She'd been so stupid; continued to be, even now, but seeing Farron, the pink hair, Serah's undeniable relation to her. She looked just like her, Goddamn. It made it all click too perfectly; her Yun traits, Sage's eagerness to breed them, all the sweet words and mercies he'd ever taken— of course he'd taken them. He had stolen them _just _for that purpose, the perfect revenge against the desperate mothers in the only strike he could take against the Umbra. Fang might not have been a part of the original plan, but his zeal in sending them off now made complete and utter sense. He'd been using them all along.

Sage had lied to them, to her most of all, and Lightning had a feeling Jihl already knew it. Had she known all along? Lightning wanted her to know she was finally coming to it. "Someone I trusted lied to me." _That _drew Jihl's eyes, whose eyebrows lifted heaven-bound. "It's a conversation I need to have with Mom and Dad," Lightning said, revealing her intentions. "Maybe you can listen in when I do."

Jihl reached to touch her, but remembered she couldn't yet. She put her hand back down in aggravation. "It wasn't your fault, Light. He brainwashed you for years." When Serah looked from Lightning to her in confusion, Jihl cast her way in explanation. "We were raped and made to serve men for years; this one asshole kept being sweet to Lightning to earn her full trust and love. She's just realizing it. Hug her please, I can't."

"What?" Serah's eyes bulged as she threw herself on Lightning in an instant, arms wrapping around her neck. "Claire!" It wasn't the way Lightning would've told it, but she wanted to take Jihl in her arms too, and couldn't. Serah would have to make do instead. She secured a hold around Serah and looked straight at Jihl over her shoulder, heart strumming. All of it: following Sage to his every bidding, dragging Jihl into raping Fang with her, had Jihl done all of it knowing how wrong she'd been all along?

"I'm sorry."

"I don't care," Jihl overran. "I love you."

Lightning tucked her head against Serah's. Her eyes stung.

"Mothers!" Jihl shouted, and footsteps padded outside the hallway until Fang's urgent voice asked.

"What's wrong?"

"Please get my mums and Lightning's parents from downstairs." Jihl asked in a breath, and Fang's footsteps rushed off again quickly. "You can come back up too!" Jihl called after her. Lightning's heart thrummed. It felt like constricted, like someone crushed it in her chest. All this time, Sage had kept them, cherished them… as trophies? Signs of his victory? Lightning had been quite a prize; whipped to his every whim, oh Gods. She felt sick all over. How had she been so blind?

"Lightning, breathe." Jihl coached, and Lightning wanted to touch her so bad.

"Claire," Serah said softly, perhaps feeling her trembling. "Don't cry."

What sounded like dozens of footsteps pounded up the stairs. "Jihl, what's wrong?"

"Claire!"

The room filled with adults very quickly, and Lightning parted from Serah with a thankful look, glimpsed Jihl, who moved as close to her as was safe, and finally faced the adults, who seemed to swarm in a horde. "I have to tell you something Mom, Dad. Jeanne and Cereza should hear it too."

"And Fang," Jihl added, garnering a look from Persephone who seemed increasingly startled by all this.

"Persephone, please." Jeanne asked, "We'll continue to discuss downstairs."

Persephone hesitated, then finally nodded, "I'm right downstairs, Jeanne." Lightning couldn't tell if it was more of a warning or a kind gesture, but it didn't matter much now anyway. The council would hear of this come tomorrow night anyway.

"Claire, what's wrong?" Raina asked, sliding next to her on the bed. Jeanne and Cereza moved further into the room, and Fang stayed put in the doorway. Someone took her hand and Lightning gave Serah a small, meager smile of appreciation, though it was gone as soon as it'd come.

"Do you want me to tell them?" Jihl offered, but Lightning shook her head. She didn't need Jihl covering up her stupidity with brainwashing and things that'd earn her sympathy.

"There's a Sage, and he's mentally linked to me and Jihl." Lightning admitted, straight to the point like Jihl would've liked. She didn't look up to see their reactions; she could guess all of those. "We haven't been able to contact him since the first week because Fang can hear it when we try; we were the cause of those headaches she'd been getting in the beginning, and after, we couldn't talk to him anymore. He must be pretty desperate now to get into contact with us by now, and I imagine it's dangerous." Lightning shook her head, "Sage was like a father to me in Cocoon. He's the one that sent Jihl and I to Gran Pulse to rape Fang and have her babies. He wanted to breed an army and destroy the Umbra, and I wanted to help him do that."

"Only because she'd been lied to about having a Cocoon father and brain— "

"Jihl," Lightning cut off sadly; there were no excuses to what she'd done in her stupidity over this.

"It's important," Jihl snapped and overran her to say, "Light thought she was going to save Fang; that's what Sage promised in addition to killing the Umbra; he said he'd liberate the Yuns."

Ashamed even hearing it, Lightning lifted her head now and caught Jeanne's eye so she knew the truth of this. "None of this is Jihl's fault. She was just trying to wake me up from it the whole time." Lightning's guilty eyes drifted past Jeanne and Cereza, her Mom and Dad, to the one person she owed apology to most of all. Fang looked shell-shocked and pale. "I'm really sorry, Fang. It was my doing, not Jihl's." Lightning's eyes returned to the floor. She felt Raina's arm squeeze around her side, but didn't deserve the comfort she offered. "He's a threat to all of you, but… I didn't want to see him hurt. That's why I didn't say anything."

"Lightning had us stop raping Fang when she realized he wanted to use our babies." Jihl added, "We thought Fang was going to be a literal beast, so it just took some time to catch up that he wanted to use our girls like he had us; Lightning called it quits for us when that registered." Then, in case someone didn't get it, she offered bluntly. "He manipulated her; us both, I just snapped out of it sooner than Lightning."

"Lightning," Eyes in the room turned to the hole in the wall where Fang stood standing, looking paler than her usual, healthy-Yun color, but with a stronger conviction in her blazing green eyes than Lightning had ever seen. "No one in this room blames you, and you're going to stop blaming yourself. Because that's what I want that'll make this better for me."

Lightning broke down and cried her last over raping Fang.


	48. Chapter 48

"Jeanne," Persephone echoed in frustration, running a hand through her roots in these early dawning hours. "What do you want me to do about this? They have to know."

"I know that, Persephone. I prefer you to be discrete."

"Lie to the council, you mean," Persephone corrected, breathing out uneasily. "I wish you'd lied to me about it, Jeanne." Persephone had a duty to her sisters to keep truth between them in all things. As Third to the Elder, she'd never broken that vow, not even once. The most she'd done in secret was trying to help Cybele part from Roma for obvious reasons; she wasn't a backhanded dealer, and didn't scheme like this.

"They'll still discover the location and everything we need to about the Sage," Jeanne petitioned, desperately needing her support in this. She understood Jeanne's point of reference perfectly. Her girl had already been submitted under Council judgment three times before, with only one of them working out for Jeanne. If it'd been Pheme or Clio, her other young daughter, Persephone would bend her adherence to the rules in an instant to protect them too. Now, Jeanne asked it of her over a daughter that was not hers, Persephone couldn't take it as lightly. She understood it perfectly, but the risks Jeanne took if the Council discovered the link… "I don't ask this lightly, Persephone." Jeanne stressed it, "Please. Don't let Roma make a parade of our girls again."

Persephone glanced between the mothers. She had true sympathy for Jeanne; in even asking this of her, she risked so much already, and much more concern about the suspiciously quiet Raina and her mate. Jeanne must've asked her not to say anything throughout this; keeping her tongue still just wasn't Raina's style. "And what of Farron?" Persephone finally asked, eyes returning to Jeanne. "Do you intend to harbor her in your house?"

"No," Raina automatically decided to Farron's,

"Yes, I'm coming when you destroy Cocoon."

"Farron," Raina breathed out in similar exhaustion that Jeanne had etched in her face by now.

"I don't care if it's dangerous or what your Council thinks." Farron cut off, "My daughter was brainwashed and molested for years; I'm going to slaughter all of them."

For all she couldn't understand about their relationship, Farron obviously loved and cared about her daughters and wife very much. It was admirable to see that kind of conviction in the Yuns again, even if Raina continued to blow her mind with these things.

Raina and Farron obviously still had things to discuss with each other; Jeanne must've come to her rather quickly after the discovery. Her eyes ticked back to their Elder, who waited in pained uncertainty. "I won't link the connection about your daughters, Jeanne." Persephone promised with a loaded heart; this could take them all out in the end. "But if Farron stays, I can't keep her presence a secret for you."

"Thank you, Persephone," Jeanne breathed in relief over her child, "If it comes down to it, you don't have to claim credit with us."

Leave her out to dry, Jeanne meant. She wouldn't, of course. If discovered, it rested on all of them now.

Persephone took in Raina again, "You'll have some work convincing them to let Farron come along at all, Raina. You know the others won't respect the bonds of your matehood so easily." For as much fault as she could place on Raina in certain things, the woman had really remained the purest of them. Persephone couldn't fathom how she'd done it; after she lost Pheme, she'd been stricken in absolute agony.

Fang had come then, and it wasn't right, but Persephone couldn't deny missing Pheme with all her heart and mind. Nephelai had been fine with it, so she convinced herself too. Even now, she wouldn't have given up Fang for the beautiful Clio Fang had helped them create, but favors went one too far, and Fang had already repaid them nine times over for the six they'd lost. She was happy with Clio, and even regretful of what they'd done to Fang; the problem was convincing the rest of her sisters it was time enough to stop. Roma's second pregnancy made that more difficult than ever it'd been; Roma had two, they claimed, now it's our turn.

Fang was to forfeit, and their increasing alienation to the Yuns. It was a price many judged acceptable for their children.

"I know, Persephone." Raina sighed, eying her mate in such confliction. She probably wanted to give Farron an equal chance for revenge, but allowing that at all exposed Farron to the Umbra, and Persephone knew they would not take lightly to one of their own mating, not even marrying, a Yun of their own creation. Raina would be made a fool of and ridiculed at best.

"Thank you for sparing Claire."

Persephone nodded once, then stood. "I must get back to Nephelai. She'll be wondering what took so long already."

"I'll walk you out," Jeanne offered politely. Persephone allowed it and cast a last glance at Raina.

"Best of luck," she bid genuinely the woman's way. She had a feeling Raina would need it badly in coming days.

**XXX**

Lightning sat on a bench in the back yard with her sister. They watched Jihl try, and fail again, to pick up a rose without crushing it between her fingers as Cereza coached. Lightning felt for her girlfriend; mastering the skill was frustrating Jihl and seemed elusive for the time being. Lightning would hug her again if it didn't pose risk.

"You look sad, Claire,"

"What?" Lightning glanced over, the words taking a moment to register, "Oh, no. Just thinking, I suppose. Hoping Jihl gets better soon. She doesn't do well with the whole no-touching thing. Might bite my finger off if I try to spoon-feed her while she's awake."

Serah smiled a little bit and followed her eyes to the frustrated girl currently smashing a rose to pulp between her fingers. "You seem awfully fond of each other."

"She's my everything," Lightning said simply because that explained it in full totality. "What about you?" Lightning asked, turning the attention away from her wistful mate. "Got a girlfriend back home, or… too young for that kinda stuff?" Lightning really didn't know an appropriate age, she realized. She hoped that wasn't way far-fetched or inappropriate to ask her younger sister.

"No girlfriend," Serah told her, "I'm not too young to start experimenting and see what I like, but I couldn't have certain Yuns if I wanted them."

"Why's that?" Lightning asked, thinking of the strain between Umbra and Yuns. Serah had said her village was more accepting of them, but 'experimenting' with an equipped Yun could still be taboo for her village.

"I'm developing slower," Serah explained, glancing down at her body. "Mom said they noticed that in their children compared to how the other Yuns age. Our bodies take a little more time to develop, so it'd be dangerous if I got pregnant too soon. The risk might be smaller because I'm half-Umbra, but Mom's afraid my Yun side might play into my pregnancy chances. So for now, I don't really sleep with any equipped Yuns yet."

"Hmm," Lightning took that in. She and Jihl had been Serah's age when they first had started sleeping with men for pregnancy. "Might've been a good thing men couldn't have gotten us pregnant." Jihl looked across the way at her when she said it, and Lightning appreciated the glance showing her how much Jihl cared about her. Even if it had been a blessing in disguise, she had a hard time with it. All those years with so many men ravaging her… and pregnancy would've never happened. She'd allowed herself to be violated so long in the hope of it, even. Worse than embarrassment, it shamed her.

"You wouldn't have wanted a baby from them anyway, Claire." Serah spoke gently, seemingly beyond her years. "A boy would've been raised like the rest of them, and a girl…"

"We weren't going to raise a girl," Lightning confessed sadly, glancing at Serah. "Jihl and I wouldn't do that to our daughters. It was something we agreed to way early on."

"See?" Serah pointed out, "At least here, you'll get to raise your little girl safely."

Lightning offered her a sad smile. "With a lot of help from family, I hope. Jihl and I aren't well-informed about raising a child correctly, I'm afraid."

"I think you're going to be okay," Serah shared, "You seem to have a lot of motherly traits already; you just need some direction and you'll be great." Not necessarily true, Lightning thought, but it was sweet of Serah to say it. "I mean that, Claire." Serah added, probably seeing her doubt. "You're kind and sweet; I think you have a good heart, Claire. And that's what you need to be a good mother."

Lightning smiled at her little sister. Serah was awfully sweet already for taking in everything she had today. Lightning moved her hand over her smaller one. "Thanks," she squeezed.

The back door of the house burst open suddenly with a little bullet ricocheting out. "Can't catch me on the Chocobo-Run!" Rhea squealed, taking off into the gardens like a little missile as Fang came bolting out after.

"Rhea!" Fang chased her past Cereza and Jihl, "I was going to give you some anyway!"

"Now you don't have to!" Rhea squealed in delight, racing around the garden way, which Fang cut through with two steps, avoiding all flowers. Rhea squeaked and hurried past the bench, flinging a, "Hi, Lightning!" behind her. Fang rushed past only seconds after, chasing the super-charged bullet.

"Who's that girl she's chasing?" Serah asked.

"Rhea?" Lightning asked as they rushed way out back to the woods. She lowered her voice to a whisper only Serah would hear close to her head. "She's Fang's, Serah, but she's too young to know it."

"Huh," Serah stared after them.

"Jeanne and Cereza's daughter," Lightning said, pulling back from her more as Rhea made a loop through the first of trees, then transformed when Fang almost caught up with her mid-run and distanced them again to Fang's loudly protested.

"Hey!" Rhea laughed as she popped back to human form and kept running, looping around back to them, now fully naked with her clothes on the ground in the woods somewhere.

"Fang's… what a Yun."

Lightning quirked an eyebrow; this far away with Fang running in the outdoors, even she didn't feel the constant, permeating heat of Fang. She worried for her sister, who blushed when Lightning observed her staring.

Coming upon them again, Rhea skidded to a sudden halt in front of them when she saw Serah on the bench. "Who are you?" Rhea asked, eyes lifting to Serah's hair. The pause cost her as Fang came charging in behind her. Rhea jumped and squeaked, but Fang had her this time as she reached her arms around the little girl and somersaulted mid-air, flipping rather gracelessly once until her back hit the ground with a thud, Rhea on her chest.

"Ugh," Fang groaned.

"Got you!" Rhea squeaked as soon as she realized she was on top and pinned Fang. "I win!"

"Come 'ere, you little naked rat." Fang sat up without difficulty, making Rhea squeal as she fell to her rump. She started to turn and get up again, but Fang caught her around the middle and pulled her back against her body. "Your mother's going to have your head for ruining another set of clothes." Fang rubbed her head in a hand, ruffling up Rhea's hair in a tizzy, who yelped.

"Hey! Stop that!" She reached up for Fang's hand with both of hers, then received a tickle to the belly that had her caught in an uncontrollable fit of giggling until she screamed. "I give! I give!" "Hey! Stop that!" She reached up for Fang's hand with both of hers, then received a tickle to the belly that had her caught in an uncontrollable fit of giggling until she screamed. "I give! I give!" Fang released her and Rhea collapsed against her, holding her belly. She splayed between Fang's legs on her thigh. "Ohh," Rhea complained, rubbing her stomach. "My poor belly."

"I would've given the chicken to you if you asked."

"You could just be saying that!" Fang shook her head. "Mum says I eat like a pig and threatens to starve me sometimes." …sounded like Cereza to Lightning. "You could've done that."

"Next time, ask first," Fang smiled and kissed the top of her little head, "Then you steal it if I say no."

"Okay, Fang," Rhea grinned. She tilted her head back on Fang's leg to take Lightning and Serah in at an upside-down angle. "Hi," she greeted, utterly open. "So, who's that, Lightning?"


	49. Chapter 49

Serah blushed terribly beside her, cherry red and staring intently at the floor. Fang sat closer now, but… Lightning didn't smell anything from her sister in the way of getting too warm for Fang. Not yet, anyway, though Serah looked like she was feeling it. "Hi," Serah greeted back, tentative eyes flashing their way, which she specifically kept off of Fang. "I'm Serah," she told the little one, "Claire's sister."

"Claire?" Rhea turned in Fang's lap and righted herself. "Lightning has two names now too?"

"Like Jihl did, yeah." Fang answered for her, rubbing little Rhea's shoulder.

"She looks like you, Lightning." Rhea told bluntly, then asked. "Are you gonna cut your hair so it's pink and matches?"

"Maybe," Lightning confessed and meant it; it'd be a big change, for her anyway, but black went with the colorless hue of an old life she didn't share anymore, and didn't want to remember. Lightning wasn't ashamed of her family anymore. She wouldn't cling to the past like a blanket; things needed to change.

"Can I cut it if you do?" Rhea asked, anxious and smiling.

Fang shook her head. "You can watch, Rhea." Rhea crossed her arms and rumbled. Fang pet her grumbly head. "It's nice to meet you, Serah," Fang greeted sweetly, worsening the poor girl's condition.

"Nice to meet you, Fang," Serah mumbled, keeping her face away from Fang. Lightning still couldn't smell anything from her, even when she'd started to get warm. Was Serah immune to Fang? But she was half, and blushing so badly, even Fang had to see it. But if she did, she didn't give inclination to it, which made Lightning think she didn't after all. What in the world?

"You should probably get some clothes on, little girl." Fang instructed, attention already back on Rhea. "It's rude to meet new people naked."

"I don't think Serah minds," Rhea rolled back up to sit. "Do you, Serah?"

"What?" Serah lifted her head, "Oh— no, I mean. If Fang wants to be naked— " Serah's eyes bulged in horror, "_You _to be naked! If Fang wants _you _to be naked," Serah corrected, "I d-don't, um… I'm okay, really."

Lightning squeezed her leg gently, which just made Serah twitch horribly.

"Aww, she's shy!" Rhea cooed suddenly, making her way to her feet. "Lightning, your sister's shy like you! That's so cute." Rhea stood from her spot between Fang's legs and went over to Serah and stood in front of her proudly, completely unabashed as she took in Serah. "You're pretty skinny, Serah."

"Rhea!" Fang smacked her head and shook it.

"I mean she looks fast!" Rhea protested, tired of getting yelled at for all these things.

"Oh," Serah's blush faded just a little. "Thank you."

"Do you know how to play Witch Tag?" Rhea asked openly.

"Of course," Serah agreed, seeming to feel a little more relaxed with the change of subject. "Did you want to play?"

"Ooh," Rhea cooed, "My mummies play with me, but they're always faster 'cuz they're so tall, but you're only a couple of feet taller than me! Your animal legs can't stretch too much farther than mine! What are you, anyway?"

If the question sounded blunt and rude to Serah, she didn't take it that way. "I'm an Oncilla."

"Ooh!" Rhea seemed thrilled to hear it. "They're really cute! People might think you're cuter than me! Are you pink?"

Serah smiled gently. "Yes, I'm pink."

"Oh man!" Rhea squealed, taking her hand. "Do you want to play? Pleeease? I'll go easy if you're really bad!"

"Okay," Serah said with a little laugh, "Let me get out of my clothes first, okay? I only have one spare set."

"Yay!" Rhea jumped in absolute delight. Lightning smiled her way, and Serah smiled back in standing. Instead of going behind the ice house to change like Lightning expected of the shy girl, Serah started stripping right there on the spot, raising Lightning's eyebrows near her hairline in disbelief.

"What are you?" Serah asked casually, removing her braless top, pants and panties, fully exposing herself to all of them. Lightning looked away politely with a little cough. Her sister was a little too old to be viewed that way by a sibling.

"I'm an ocelot!" Rhea claimed proudly, "And I'm black and red, and I look all scary! Or at least I will when I finally grow up; Fang says I'm too little and cute to be scary. Mewhl."

"It's not so bad being cute," Serah encouraged with a smile, "Ready?"

"You can be it first!" Rhea claimed, "And we can't use Witch Time 'cuz Jihl's not supposed to go into it when she's pregnant, but all other rules of transformation apply. Okay?"

"Okay," Serah smiled. "I'll give you ten seconds to start ahead." Rhea grinned and started off running, transforming as she went.

"Don't go too far into the woods!" Fang warned after her, and Rhea made a noise that might've been vicious if she had the throat for it, but merely came off adorable. Serah took off soon after and Lightning shook her head as she finally looked on back after a flaming pink oncilla with round ears chasing Rhea.

"Our families really don't have a problem with nudity much, do they?"

"Serah likely gets that from Farron," Fang explained, watching them race around the wide yard in giant loops and circles. "Yuns aren't ashamed of nudity. I don't know how it is now, but when I was younger, no one felt uncomfortable at seeing a Yun brazen by naked. She would've been on her way to the falls to bathe, to a lover, or enjoying the sun." Lightning had never heard Fang say a thing about her time before captivity and, taking in Fang's expression, it was kind of beautiful to see. "It's kind of nice to see Serah's not ashamed at all," Fang claimed, eyes on them until they roved over to Lightning. "Not that I'm looking at Serah or anything…"

Lightning smiled pleasantly, feeling warm that Fang had, even for a moment, shared such a memory. "I understand, Fang." Her eyes ticked back to the two cats on the field when Serah suddenly jumped Rhea and tackled her. "Ohh!" Lightning started to stand.

"Don't worry," Fang said, cautioning her. "It's part of the game. They don't use their claws and just bite around a little bit." Lightning winced as Rhea took Serah's ear between her teeth. "Just roughing around a bit; they're still both too small to be fully developed for anything to hurt so much, and Cereza or Jeanne will give them a once-over to heal when they're done." Lightning sat again, keeping an eye on the two rascals. "I imagine it's why Rhea got so excited to play; her moms are bigger than her, and usually just let Rhea rough around with them."

Freeing herself from the hold on her ear, Serah licked Rhea's face with a rough tongue, which made Rhea whine and release. Serah licked again, and Rhea pawed her shoulder in whining.

"If you're sure…" But even as she said it, Lightning could see the playfulness between every action. They were roughhousing like kids, and it kind of was innocent to watch the two small beasts.

"Lightning," Lightning glanced over at her again by that sound of her name. Fang sounded a little tentative, which was usually something Fang tried to avoid with her. "This is awkward, but," Fang breathed out, "Did you smell anything from Serah, sitting next to her?"

"No," Fang had noticed it too, "I didn't. Did you?"

"I didn't think so…" Fang said cautiously, "I didn't know with you sitting right next to her, but…"

"You think Serah's immune?" Lightning asked, curious how that would work.

"I don't know," Fang confessed, "Raina's still tampering with the spell to make it go both ways, but… Rhea's not affected. We think my uh," Fang glanced at the two in the middle of the field, "Multitudes won't be, but I haven't been around other kids since coming here."

Lightning's eyebrows scrunched. "I thought she was getting a little flustered, but… "

"Who wouldn't?" A new voice joined them, and Lightning looked up to see Jihl sitting beside her on the bench casually. "You're gorgeous, Fang. It sounded like she was girl-crushing on your beautiful body." Lightning and Fang both looked at her in startled surprise. "Oh, come on," Jihl huffed, "You can't both be that daft. Fang comes running out here, chasing Rhea, looking like a prize Yun daddy? Of course Serah's crushing on her. That's like Yun gold, isn't it?"

"Oh…" Fang blinked, and Jihl tossed up her hands.

"You two are hopeless. So, neither of you smelled Serah, you were saying?" Cereza came up following Jihl a few seconds after.

"No," Lightning confirmed, "We didn't. Just her… flustering."

"She might be immune because of her age," Cereza suggested, drawing their eyes. "Serah's young; our other half children haven't been affected by Fang either. I don't know because I don't have Yun senses, but Circe's never seemed very affected for the brief times you've seen her, Fang."

"Who's Circe?" Lightning asked.

"Athena's daughter."

"Not mine," Fang said quietly.

"It could be their age," Cereza said again. "But if it's not, we should be grateful for small favors. Raina's still working on the cure both ways, so hopefully, it at least lasts until then."

They should be thankful, Lightning agreed. At least she wouldn't have to worry about Serah feeling warm around Fang yet. Well, not unnaturally anyway. Lightning's eyes dropped to Jihl, who she smiled at meekly. "How's the training going?"

"Like a bitch," Jihl sighed, "The damn things go squish."

"You'll get it, Jihl." Cereza encouraged, lifting a hand to pet her back. "Keep practicing; you'll have control over it soon."

Jihl sighed, bummed out; Lightning wrapped an arm around her back and rubbed. "Cereza," their heads all lifted as Jeanne, Raina, and Farron came out of the back door to greet them.

"Claire!" Farron rushed to her. Raina hesitated, not far behind, then followed with a sick expression. Lightning stood in just enough time to receive Farron's arms, which squeezed around her. "Claire, Sweetie."

"Dad," Lightning greeted, though her eyes were on the woman behind her, "Mom, what's wrong?"

"We have a council meeting," Jeanne informed. Lightning didn't know if it'd been directed to her or Cereza, but the news had her stiffening as Farron pulled back, holding her forearms.

"Why?" Lightning asked, looking from her mother to father. Umbra meetings never went well; she didn't like the timing of it either, just after her father came in. She didn't want her anywhere near them. "You're not going to be a part of it, right, Dad?"

"I have to, Claire."

"Dad, no," Lightning's heart skipped a beat. "You don't understand— you don't know what they're like, Dad. You can't go to council under them; they'll have you in chains."

"Claire," Farron calmed, "They already know I'm here. It's done."

"Dad," Lightning's panicked eyes flicked to her pale mother, "Mom, you can stop this. Just take her home."

"Claire, shh," Farron tried to calm, "It's going to be okay." Her gray eyes lightened, speckled greens shimmering in the outside light. "When I get back, we're gonna have a long talk, okay? I want to sit down with you, Claire. We need to."

"They won't let you." Lightning squeezed her wrist, "They watched Mom for days, Dad. They're not going to respect you and Mom. Please," Lightning pleaded with her mother, "Can't you do anything?"

"Your father wants to join the war with the Umbra." Raina confessed with a heavy sigh, looking just as bad as Lightning felt about it.

"Dad," Lightning's eyes widened, "You can't think they'll— "

"Claire, please," Farron touched her hair and brushed it back, "They're already waiting. I'll be back and we can talk later, I promise." Lightning felt sick, but there was no moving Farron. Lightning understood her desire to fight Cocoon, but how could she think the Umbra would allow it? They could do so much to her and worse.

"Please come back," Lightning begged, then to her mother over Farron's shoulder. "Bring her back." Farron hugged her again and kissed her. Lightning hoped it wouldn't be her last.

**XXX**

Gun-heels clicked on the stone pathway, following up four feet of legs, three and half feet up from the hips, at seven and a half feet, Tethys stood a little shorter than most of the Umbra. Light black hair fluttered back from her shoulders in the gentle breeze and pace of walking, "I've heard it's about the war," Tethys clasped Lethe's hand through long, slender fingers, "That Jeanne's hit information on her last patrol with Cereza. Had to double check some circumstances, but ultimately found it. She may have located the Sages control center."

"Really?" Lethe squeezed her hand. "I heard it was something else." Tethys frowned and looked to her wife. "Nephelai mentioned a Yun," Lethe finished ominously.

"Maybe about the Children community?" Tethys suggested. "Perhaps the Dias are requesting something else."

"I hope so, Tethys." Lethe said with a sigh, "Dealing with a Dia question about raising Fang's Yuns would be a lot more refreshing than the subject matter we've had of late, but they didn't mention anything today when I dropped Arete off."

"They might've been too shy," Tethys shared hopefully, a likely suggestion considering how mild-mannered the clan was. Lethe gave her hand another squeeze, but Tethys could see her love's heart wasn't into it. Something troubled Lethe. "Did you hear something else?"

"Nothing concrete," Lethe shook her head. "We'll find out inside, I guess." They rounded the corner together to the front of the grand hall to their meeting place. "I just wish I could sit beside you for this, Tethys. I've got a bad feeling. Raina's coming again."

Tethys frowned deeper. While Lethe's overprotective nature was nothing new or outwardly concerning, something more seemed to be plaguing her this dawning. Tethys wondered what she'd heard to make her so twitchy about the meeting today. "Is it about Raina?" Tethys asked quietly, drawing Lethe's eyes sideways in a nervous manner that utterly confirmed it. Tethys felt a guilty stroke of conscious and tugged Lethe's hand to the side as they entered the great doors, stepping her a little off away.

"Hey," Tethys summoned her attention, where Lethe glanced nervously inside. Raina wasn't there yet, nor Cereza or Jeanne, but Tethys understood her lovers hesitation perfectly. Raina had been a lover once, long ago before the war and her marriage; it'd been dozens of centuries since all that, but afterwards, once she'd taken long years to heal, Tethys had pursued her again.

With their number reduced to one so few a people, having anyone left she'd once been intimate with had been a blessing. Familiarity in the few of them that'd survived. Even Tethys didn't know what'd happened to cause their breakup. Raina had a passionate opinion over using Fang, but Tethys hadn't minded it. She had her own hesitations about the overuse of the Yun; that's why they were trying to build a community outwards of Fang, so they wouldn't have to sap up the poor girl of strength anymore. Once they had a fair community of Ragnarok descendants, no one would be subject to repeated rape again. They'd ask Fang's children for one child when they came of age, then let them disperse about their lives from there. By the time a few more centuries had passed, their numbers would be completely replenished with the spread of Fang's offspring covering the world in great number, and theirs as well. No one would have to be raped by then.

Raina hadn't agreed about forcing Fang to be with any of them, but she might've come around to the plans if she saw how they were trying to help Fang. Even Tethys hadn't agreed with killing the Yuns for Fang's cooperation, but at least the woman had finally come around. It was hard on her now, but later, after the generations had spread and tensions eased, even Fang would be able to find relief in seeing peace returned to her people again, the subjugation ended once and for all from their people.

But Raina hadn't stayed long enough for them to have that idea, or to come around about Tethys. She'd exploded at that horrible meeting and hadn't even offered a defense when Roma suggested the banning. The ripe explosion of accusations and threats had been enough to sway enough of Tethys' sisters to banish Raina. She'd broke her heart twice over back then; first with them, then with leaving. She hadn't even said goodbye to Tethys that day.

Lethe had come immediately after to comfort her and ease the pain. Tethys knew it hadn't been right; she was heartbroken over Raina and afraid of being left alone. The sisters who'd lost wives to Fang had already started pairing again. Galene went to Soteria, two single-made women after Fang had accidentally slain their wives They'd already been close friends. With Eileithyia and Dione killed as a pairing, and Nerites longtime wife since before the war slaughtered by Fang, Tethys had been alone and afraid.

With Raina gone, her pursued love was for naught, their number was odd for the first time since the war. Someone would be left out. Lethe wouldn't have been her first choice by a longshot, and she wouldn't have been hers, but Lethe beat Nerites who'd been swollen in anger and hatred since her wife's death at Fang's hands. So, Tethys had taken the recently widowed Lethe and grown to love her. She still was. Their marriage of comfort had been so startling fast, and it still was so new, it really was no wonder Raina's presence bothered her so much. Lethe was afraid Raina would take her away.

"I'm not going to leave you, Lethe." Tethys eased, lifting a hand to her buttermilk brown hair. Styled short like Jeanne's, but not so slick as much as straight, with a portion that drifted over her left eye. Tethys slid that part over to see her chocolatey eyes, brown like her hair set in a pretty face, more rounded around the jaw than most Umbra's angular cheeks.

Lethe's milky brown eyes went to the floor. Her jaw pulled in in such a way that Tethys knew her teeth were clenched. Finally, she asked, "Just remember that I voted her back, okay?" she asked meekly.

"I know you did," Tethys stroked her cheek. She wouldn't be able to tell you a definite 'top' to their relationship; they took turns taking care of each other this way. "I'm not going to forget that or betray you, Lethe, You're my wife now. You came when Raina didn't." Tethys could still see the hesitation in her eyes, "I love you, Lethe."

Lethe's tentative eyes lifted to Tethys' lighter ones, more common of the Umbra. "I love you too, Tethys." It'd taken years before either of them felt comfortable enough saying it, comfortable that the other wasn't just a substitute so they wouldn't be alone. It was something they still struggled with even now, and would for a few decades or centuries, Tethys reckoned. "Please don't forget that."

"I won't," Tethys understood her fear; they'd only been married the shier side of thirteen years, but it wasn't necessary. She was eternally grateful to Lethe for helping her when Raina had left, and Tethys had healed alongside Lethe with her late wife. She wasn't going to forget that. Tethys reached up to kiss her lover's cheek. "Let's just get through the meeting, okay?"

"Okay," Lethe agreed, lifting a hand to her arm to hold and cradle. "Don't say anything if you don't have to. The last thing we need is Roma accusing you of any kind of connection she still has with you."

"I'll be careful, Lethe." Tethys promised. Kissing her, Lethe parted to the other end of the hall and Tethys went to the right to take her spot between Galene and Techne as Thirteenth. Lethe settled into the Sixteenth and last chair on the other end of the hall, not minding the spot she rarely made a fuss from.


	50. Chapter 50

Tethys settled in quietly, scanning the moods of her sisters. There was too little chatter for anyone to know much of anything, but Nephelai seemed particularly keen in sharing something with Athena. Tethys wondered how she'd found out anything so prematurely.

Jeanne came in a moment later, and she wasn't alone. Cereza and Raina followed, in addition to a floppy pink-haired Yun with a unique styling with longer hair down the middle strip of her head. The sight of the Yun had Tethys standing where she otherwise would've been content to sit and let this meeting pass. She recognized that Yun. It was the one Raina had chosen for procreation decades ago; Farron, her name had been. Tethys only remembered because Raina had started dating Tethys shortly after that pregnancy had been discovered. They were going to be mothers together. What was Farron doing back here, especially in these chambers?

"Sisters," Jeanne greeted in her usual manner as Cereza took up position in her seat and Raina moved with the Yun next to the two standing throne seats. "We've gathered to sketch and plan our final battle confrontation on Cocoon. Earlier this evening, I received the location of a Sage in Cocoon that requires our attention!" Tethys stiffened. Jeanne had found a Sage.

"Jeanne," Selene's demanding voice rang out over the chatter that'd erupted from the discovery, "No one disputes how important this is, but why have you brought Farron into our midst? This is a private, council matter, not to be casually overheard by the common people."

Selene was rude, of course, but she had a standing point too.

"Farron is here on my request," Raina announced to them all blatantly, which surprised Tethys. She wasn't he only one. "She is here for our war council."

"Excuse me?" Roma echoed back, "I missed the part when we allowed the outcast privileges, much less guests to our private quarters and home. Jeanne, what is the meaning of this intrusion into our rules and customs for the likes of her?" Tethys shivered; Roma had only gained bite since being forbidden Fang. Poor Cybele living with her; Tethys both hoped and doubted she was treating her right with amends.

Nephelai followed Roma in saying, "She's right, Jeanne. Farron is not allowed in these chambers, and if she's here only at Raina's whimsy, a breach of code has been made."

"It is not whimsy that's brought Farron here today," Jeanne directed back at them all, "Farron has learned of Lightning's remarkable return to us. She is here on the request as a father to strike back at Cocoon with us, standing at our side when we decimate the men." Tethys blinked. How Farron had even caught wind of the war or Lightning was strictly beyond all protocol. Raina must've called her in, but even that was extreme. Surely the woman couldn't have cracked enough to think these women of the council would allow a singular Yun alongside them for revenge. Raina knew better than that. Bringing Farron here made no sense. Father to Lightning or not, it wasn't her place to even know of these things.

Hecate, usually deadly quiet in these meetings, was the first to come out of the shock enough to say, "You must be joking."

To her credit, Jeanne didn't break their gazes, though she must be feeling incredibly foolish down there. Just what had Raina convinced her into? Poor Jeanne. "The request is mine," Raina stated, stepping towards the middle a little to back up what she could for Jeanne. "According to Umbra Ordinance 653 Crescent, any Umbra is permitted to bring in the person of subject in discussion matters when direct lineage can be drawn in pertaining to her offspring."

"That is a recent rule drawn up for our children's sakes!" Roma roared in returned, speechless and infuriated by whatever Raina was trying to pull. "Further, you are an exile. None of our rules pertain to you anymore; you are merely ignorable enough to stay for mothering Lightning and no other reason."

"Was I not voted back in under this very council?" Raina pointed out.

"As a guest!" Roma growled furiously.

"Yes," Raina agreed, "And as a guest, I've been repeatedly invited back to council, haven't I? Wasn't it Selene who ordered that I obey Umbra jurisdictions last time? Under that providence, I have obeyed Umbra law."

Selene eyed her like a rat in unrestrained contempt. "Regardless if you've broken a rule or not, Raina; your request is outrageous. Yuns have no magic, no Witch Time, and nothing to offer us in our war front against Sage. Taking your little pet Farron around would create a chore of babysitting, which loosens our number by another when we need all of us to fight the Sages. Your soft, sympathetic mind has always been distasteful, but this is the first inanity it's spawned that I can see." Selene clicked her tongue bitterly, "Congratulations."

"Excuse me," a new voice addressed that drew all eyes to the short Farron stepping up next to Raina. "I do have talents to offer the Umbra." Farron said, widening eyes all around the room at being addressed by the woman. Tethys hadn't thought she'd actually speak; her presence alone was enough to argue about, but now Farron talked to them from below without prompting. The Yun must have balls of steel. Tethys was amazed she could speak at all with such a hard-on. "I don't know how this works, so I apologize if I'm disrupting," Raina looked like she wanted to snatch up Farron in an instant. Maybe even she hadn't known the Yun father would speak. "But I have talents to offer the war front; just tonight, I entered your village hours ago, undetected by any of you."

The statement raised eyebrows and whispers, but grimacing once and clearly holding the strain, Farron claimed, "I may not know magic, but I know stealth better than any of you, and I wouldn't be detected by the Sage coming in."

"Darling," Roma addressed like she were a little thing, "You stand there shaking, barely restraining yourself in your pants; I do doubt if you haven't come already with your sensitive, Yun senses." Farron looked rightly embarrassed by the words, almost confirming them from Roma. It was underhanded and mean to make her point in such a way, but Roma was rather known for that kind of tactic that'd earned her her place. "Even if we could make use of your stealth abilities, which would still be far too slow to our standards, what might you do on the battlefield with us? Coming," Roma said with an amused smile, "Would not help us."

"I can go ahead," Farron said in grimacing, "And kill the men of the castle first, undetected. I'll unlock the route to get to Sage."

"Sweetie," Roma condescended, "You cannot even fathom the magical traps we face. Stone doors don't scare us, and it's not a difficulty we face. I'm afraid your stealth would have no use to us at all on the field; you'd only get yourself killed, Farron. And as father to one of our own, that would be a waste." Roma smiled blackly, and Tethys felt cold even from across the room. "There are… other ways for you to help us if you like, Farron."

"Roma, that's enough," Raina snapped on the offensive, arm wrapping around Farron's chest to haul her back. Tethys got a bad feeling; though some of them had searched out Farron before after her success with Raina, she hadn't been found and Tethys was personally grateful for it. She'd imagined the Yun had found herself a mate by now and lived happily with them; calling on Farron once was enough. She'd been willing then, and it'd been fine. Once had been a gift, and it was all that should be rightfully required of a Yun, like they would with the community of Ragnarok; Tethys preferred not to see her pimped around like Fang.

"What's enough, Raina?" Techne challenged openly, "Farron's come to us seeking to help; why shouldn't we partake? She gave you child."

"Once is enough," Tethys shot back loudly, alarming Lethe who went to the edge of the rail and shook her head at her. Tethys continued anyway to say, "Farron's already willingly provided for our clan; once is the rule unless a Yun is willing to give again, and I don't think we're in a state that we can ask of any Yun twice and expect honesty."

"Once is the rule for giving Yuns to Ragnarok, Tethys," Techne bit back snappily. "Not for sharing a Yun with us. Farron, how would you feel in blessing us with another child?"

"Uhm," Farron swallowed, still held by Raina. "I have a mate, Madam."

"Ah," Techne seemed in equal distaste, "And what if we could assure you your 'mate' would never be chosen by Ragnarok, Farron? What then?"

"Techne!" Raina snapped, "Is that how you take in your 'willing' Yuns? Against the threat of offering their mates to Fang?"

It left a bad taste in Tethys' mouth. That was bordering Roma tactics.

"It's funny how self-righteous you get over Ragnarok, Raina, considering you partook of Farron yourself in the same way we do."

"Farron was willing a time ago, Techne."

"Yes. As were all our Yuns," Techne pointed out. "I do wonder, Raina…" Techne's eyes flitted over Farron. "Where did you go for those fourteen years, hmm? You spent them alone, away from everybody, did you? You must've been quite the hermit."

"These are idle fancies," Persephone interrupted, "Why don't we get back on topic, Jeanne? Shall we vote on whether Farron comes or not?"

"Hold a moment there, Persephone." Selene's silky voice echoed, then asked unexpectedly, "Raina, is Farron currently yours for breeding? Is that why you hold her so protectively close?" Raina blinked, then dropped her arm from around Farron's chest like she hadn't known she was doing it. "A-ha." Selene said with a faint smile. "Someone's being greedy."

"Is that true?" Tethys asked, heart beating in her chest. Raina had left to escape raping Fang; was she now taking a mated Yun as her own anyway?

Raina glanced at her, but answered Selene. "Farron is taken, Selene."

"By you or her mate?" Selene seemed immensely amused, "Funny how the rules change to your whimsy, Raina."

"Perhaps we shall share of Farron then!" Techne suggested.

"Farron is my mate, you twits!" Raina finally snapped, freezing Tethys. "And no one's going to be sharing her."

The hall stilled in one, quiet movement to the exclamation. Tethys' heart may have stopped with them for how her chest constricted, eyes widening on Raina in the middle of the floor. Silence echoed like a sound as the Umbra stared, and Tethys was sure they could all hear her thudding heart beating unevenly hard. For the first time ever with all the sisters in chamber, no one spoke a word and stared.

"I don't care what all of you think," Raina said to them, taking Farron back under her arm. "My mate is here to ask, as a father, if you'll allow her the same right of revenge that we all seek over our children in the fight against the Sages and nothing else."

Tethys ears resounded like a bomb had just gone off near her head. Raina had married a Yun. No, Raina had mated a Yun. "You chose a mortal… " Tethys' voice came so quietly, if the hall hadn't been completely stunned into silence, no one would've heard her. "Over me."

"Tethys!" Lethe called out, but Tethys could barely hear her.

Raina had ended them during her pregnancy with Claire, which had been cruel enough and taxing on Tethys' heart, but this… She and Raina could've spent an eternity together. Raina could've grown to love her the way she was growing to love Lethe, but Raina had picked instead… a thing of their own creation. A weak body they'd made… over eternity with her, raising Claire as their baby.

"Tethys, I'm sorry." Raina said, looking strained. Arms wrapped around Tethys from behind, and Tethys leaned back against Lethe for support in all this. "I loved Farron. It wouldn't have been fair to you to stay."

"Lethe," Tethys' eyes stung in taking in Raina's beauty; that auburn hair that fell in traces, laced over a tight body she'd honed for years. A body Tethys had shared and loved. A body that clung to the pink-haired Yun before her. Tethys felt sick. She closed her eyes to curb the feeling. "Take me home." Lethe lifted her easily and took her away.


	51. Chapter 51

Lightning's foot tapped impatiently. "It's not right."

"Would you settle your hyper little butt down already?" Jihl breathed, aggravated as another rose went _squish _between her stained-red fingers. A trailing path of petals had started to form behind her. "You're breaking my concentration with your constant worrying."

"You're thinking about it too much," Fang coached, on another topic end of the spectrum in trying to help Jihl. "Don't focus on it. Just reach for the rose like you're gonna hold it." Jihl tried again. Her 500th attempt yielded no better results than the first.

"Ughh, screw this!" Jihl threw the rose, which collided against the pillar and crushed against the stone, then fell, wilted in a heap. "I'm never going to get it."

"You're too frustrated." Fang said simply.

"Damn right, I'm frustrated!" Jihl snapped. "I can't bloody touch the damn rose without creaming it, Lightning's over here making me fret about Mums, and nothing your saying's doing anything to change things!" Jihl looked like she wanted to hit something, but unable to touch anything, she settled for angry, disruptive noises and sat on her rump in the garden. Jihl backhanded a rose moodily, which showered forth a pile of pedals, leaving the green step. "Godsdamn!"

"Jihl— "

"Don't talk to me right now." Jihl grumbled, fisting her hands in the dirt around her in exasperation. "Whine to Fang about our mothers' peril in lying for us."

Clearly too frustrated with her lack of progress, Lightning wondered if she'd even considered yet the consequences Jeanne and Cereza could face, or Raina and Farron for that case. One slip was all it'd take, they'd be discovered, and Jeanne's credibility with the council would be shot. It was too big a risk just to protect them from the vipers in that meeting hall again. Jihl's mothers had taken too much on them already for their sakes; Lightning couldn't let it happen again. "I'm going to the meeting, Jihl." Lightning decided solemnly, standing. "They have to know."

"What?" Jihl's head popped up again, "Lightning, no. Mums went over this—they've already crafted a lie and everything for us."

"It doesn't matter," Lightning shook her head. "We can't just let them risk everything to baby us. I'm the only reason we didn't tell about Sage immediately, and I'm not going to let your mothers take the blame for it again." Lightning had already started walking. It was the right thing to do; no more hiding behind their shields. She had to take responsibility.

"Light!" Shuffling started up behind her before Jihl raced to her side to reach her. She stopped, arms outstretched. "Lightning, stop."

"No."

Jihl moved in front of her and tried to blockade her way, but her girlfriend couldn't touch her for the time being and both of them knew it. Lightning simply walked around her. "They might've already told the fib!" Jihl tried to protest.

"They might not have; even if they did, they're mothers. Umbra should understand that, at least."

"Lightning, you're not— " Jihl tried to reach to grab her again and stopped with a groan. "Fang!" she barked in aggravation. "Grab her for me! She's not being reasonable." Fang hesitated to stand, then Jihl added. "She's trying to mess things up at the council meeting."

Fang stood in following, "Lightning…"

"Grab her!" Jihl said again when Lightning simply kept walking. Fang took her arm gently.

"Lightning, stop. Jeanne said to stay."

Fang tried to reason gently. Lightning glanced at her. She could see where this was going; Fang would follow Jihl's order because it aligned with her mother's, and Jihl was too agitated to really have considered her protesting. She wasn't going to be cornered out of this.

"Jeanne's wrong," Lightning pulled her arm free, "You're free to come along, Jihl, but I'm doing this."

"Oh, for heaven's sakes." Jihl groaned, "Fang, go!" Lightning unexpectedly tripped as something heavy crashed into her back.

"Hey!" Lightning snapped, stumbling face-first to the ground with Fang on her back. She turned and shoved her off, finding Jihl suspiciously standing above them. "Jihl— "

"What are you waiting for?" Jihl stepped back as Lightning swiped at her, "Restrain her, Fang!"

"Sorry, Lightning," Fang unexpectedly apologized, and a second later, Lightning felt her hand tighten over her arm. "What the— " Fang was already moving above her. Lightning would have none of that.

"Really?" Lightning lifted Fang a little to toss her off a few feet. "I'm Umbra, Fang. No offense." She started to stand.

"Don't take that!" Jihl riled up. With a growl, Fang picked up surprisingly fast and rushed her. Lightning's back hit the ground again with a thump. "Yeah, get her!"

"Fuck, Fang!" Lightning groaned as the woman's weight pressed atop of her to pin. By no means a master of her Umbra strength, Lightning wasn't feeble either. When it failed to rush through her at mental command enough to kick Fang off, Lightning wrapped her arms around her to throw her off. Fang clung with her legs and rolled with Lightning enough to get them both on their sides. A strong hand braced onto her shoulder as Fang untangled their legs. Lightning found a face-full of dirt in another second and spat as Fang's weight pressured into her back, legs successfully holding down Lightning's with stronger pressure.

"That's it!" Jihl encouraged, and Lightning looked at her incredulously, "Sometimes you just need a little topping," Jihl tsked, "Hey, Serah!" she called out, louder, "You'll want to see this!"

Strength surged through Lightning. She pushed up both of them, startling Fang to collapse on her. Twisting, Lightning let gravity take her in falling— elbow right into Fang's stomach, who choked. "Ohh," Jihl winced, but before Lightning could get up, Fang's legs wrapped around her stomach and clung to her legs. Her arms looped up under Lightning's and connected behind her head.

"Fang!" Lightning barked, taut as she tried to break the hold. "Get offa me!"

"You're Umbra," Fang said quietly in her ear, "I'm Ragnarok."

"Is that repartee?" Lightning balked, incredulous in her stuck position. "From you?"

"Claire!"

"Shh, shh!" Jihl hushed, "Sit down. This is getting good. Look at Fang, smiling back there."

"You're smiling?" Lightning balked, straining for her Umbra strength.

"Ooh! Beat her good, Fang!" Rhea cheered.

"Why are they all voting for you?"

"I'm here for you, Claire!" Serah supported sweetly.

"Really?" Jihl teased, "Those red cheeks are for Claire?" Serah made a noise like a mouse.

"Give up?" Fang asked, and Lightning could practically _hear _the grin in her voice.

"Okay," She could've stayed there and focused until her strength returned with a sudden push, but time was wasting. Encouraging as Fang's… amusement in this was, she wasn't going to stay put for Jihl. "I give."

"Did I hear that right?" Jihl asked in total delight. "Say it louder, Light."

Lightning gave her a dark look, but Fang didn't let go yet either. She sighed and said louder. "I give, Fang."

"Oh, that's what you said." Jihl grinned as Fang released and Lightning stood. Lightning gave her eyes as she dusted herself off.

"See if you get happy tonight," Lightning muttered darkly. Finally. She had an advantage here that neither Jihl nor Fang did. "Hey, Serah?"

"Hmm?" Serah asked, barely lifting her eyes as Fang stood up too, beautiful as she ever was.

"Watch Rhea while we're out."

"Huh?"

Jihl looked up sharply. Lightning was already halfway across the yard. "HEY!"

**XXX**

"You haven't just been living with the savages," Selene said in complete distaste, "Now you've become one? When we thought you could fall no further, Raina," Selene shuddered. "How many times will you choose our pets over your own people? We should strip you of our clan and powers, you're so revolting. Poor Tethys."

Nerites had to agree. While she didn't share Selene's Holier-Than-Thou nature, there was no understanding this new, self-destructive maneuver from Raina. The woman had to be a masochist, her actions were so condemning.

"It's not your concern, Selene." Raina bit back sharply, holding Farron so disturbingly close to her breast in the Yun's protection.

"Isn't it, Raina?" Techne challenged right back, "Selene is right. You've shown yourself untrustworthy to our people on numerous occasion by now. First in your rebuke against Ragnarok,"

"Against rape," Raina cut in, and was ignored as Techne overran her.

"And now, you've _joined _yourself to a Yun in a hidden community none of us have ever found before. What other secrets are you hiding from us? Have you aligned yourself with the persecuted now? You make us wonder if we should expect to wake with knives in our backs, Raina."

"I'm not here for any of you," Raina snapped, "And my mate and children are none of your business."

"Child_ren_?" Roma caught with interest, both striking and infuriating Raina at once. "My, Raina, you _have _been busy in our absence. That must've taken a lot of work to accomplish so quickly. Spawning up a resistance, are you?"

Nerites rolled her eyes. Her sisters could be so childish in these outlandish, manipulative claims. So, Raina had taken a Yun 'mate.' It was filthy, low, and a harsh blow to Tethys, but her sympathies for their kind and Fang— Gods, her sickening sympathy for Fang— had always been blatant and distasteful to this council. Despicable and traitorous as her actions continued to be, she wasn't starting a resistance elsewhere. Raina had no taste for subtly, as she'd demonstrated thousands of times over again. She'd never be able to pull something like that off behind the scenes. Most likely she'd run off to live with that 'mate.' Disgusting, Nerites agreed.

"I'd have nothing to do with any of you if it weren't for my eldest!" Raina spat, "Not to plot, rejoin, or participate in any manner. I've proven that for fourteen years!"

Jeanne shot into the air for attention, supremely aggravated. "Sisters! Can we keep _one _track of attention? Raina's relationship is not the point of this meeting, nor does it have bearing on what we've come to discuss today."

"It does have bearing, Jeanne." Nephelai defending. "Farron's presence here is something we need to discuss if she and any offspring Raina's brought with her intend to stay. Are those your intentions, Raina?"

"Or we could have someone escort Farron back," Roma suggested with a sly smile. "Bring your… family back home, Raina."

Raina stiffened, between a rock and a hard place. "She doesn't need an escort home, Roma."

"Fine," Roma said, smile not fading, "No problem then. Farron's going home after this meeting today."

Farron nudged Raina noticeably, and worse, Raina took in the Yun's worries and said, "No. Farron's going to stay… for a time."

"Might we remind you, Raina, that you are a guest here, and that call is not your own." Hecate suggested coldly, dull eyes flickering to Techne, her wife.

"It doesn't really affect the Umbra either way, does it?" Raina challenged openly, her lack of subtly showing badly. "Farron and my girls will stay with me at Jeanne's."

"Doesn't affect us?" Soteria unexpectedly voiced, "She's a Yun living in Paradiso, worse, the one you broke Tethys over. The effect is great, Raina. If we're not breeding with her, she should not be allowed in Paradiso."

"You won't hear a word from any of us," Raina snapped, "What senseless manipulation of the Ordinance is this from? That a guest is not permitted unless she's being raped? I am reminded of how I left so easily from this conniving place!"

"Raina," Cereza cautioned quietly and looped an arm to draw her back with Farron. She spoke something quietly Nerites couldn't quite hear, but then Jeanne spoke again over all of them.

"Enough, sisters! If Raina stays with Farron and any other child she might have, they'll stay under the same roof at my house. We are not here to discuss our opinions or distaste over Raina's choices since leaving us; what we _do _need to speak of is the Sage's location that has recently been revealed to us, and— "

The grand hall doors boomed open, doors that stretched 100 feet high. Only an Umbra could move it. Nerites, along with the rest of her sisters, looked to the grand doors where a short pair of heads strode in, black and blonde accordingly. "What is this?" Roma scoffed, "A family reunion? Raina cannot even control her offspring over barging into our meetings!"

"I have information concerning the Sage." Lightning announced blatantly, staggering the whole room at once for a second time that day. Nerites eyed the stalking girl as Jihl came in behind her, hissing something quietly. When the other sisters were too preoccupied to speak, Nephelai asked simply. "What information do you hold about the Sage, child?" her eyes flickered over Jeanne. "We'll discuss other matters later."

"Jeanne didn't know anything," Lightning announced boldly, much different from her shier demeanor Nerites had witnessed on two other occasions. "I didn't tell her until today, and I wouldn't have told if it weren't for her and Cereza, and my mom and dad. So, you should all be damn grateful because they're the reason I had any change of heart at all to reveal these things."

"Lightning," Raina breathed like panting, and went for her, but Lightning continued anyway, holding up a hand to her mother.

"I knew the Sage," Lightning announced to all of them, freezing Nerites grip on the railing she overlooked to the child below. "He was kind, like a father to me, but he hates all of you. He wants to see the Umbra destroyed. He's responsible for our kidnappings, and the reason why Jihl and I were freed. After years of indoctrination; he thought he had us in his pocket to do his bidding. And he did with me for a time."

"You were spies!" Roma accused suddenly, eyes lighting up with the accusation.

"Oh, shut up, Roma." Persephone unexpectedly snapped. Usually mild, moderate, and wise with her choice of wording, she just seemed annoyed by this point. "If Carme had come back in a manipulated state, you wouldn't hear a word against her. Let the girl speak for once."

Lightning only acknowledged the appeal with a small glance, then continued immediately, taking her advantage fast. "A few of you, mostly my mom and dad, have since brought me out of the delusion, and I'm here to help. Jihl and I both know the extensive layout of Sage's location and what kind of resistance you can expect in storming the place. We'll give you exact details of everything we know about the place. I want the warfront to succeed more than anyone now, and Jihl always has.

So, if there's any blame to lay, it's that I wasn't broken from Sage's manipulation when everything he'd been saying seemed to be true of the Umbra. And that's not Mom's fault, or Jeanne's, or anyone who's dissented the general way of things here." Lightning said, meaning exactly opposite in who's fault she _did _consider this to be. Nerites arched an eyebrow. This one had an opinion and a wicked tongue like her mother, if more subtle in accusing Nerites fellow sisters of rape, at least. Deathly subtle, even, laying the blame elsewhere to be had. It might've even been too good, considering the shy girl Nerites had seen this one come from to this.

"Lightning," Nerites called out to her, drawing the little one's head from far below. "No one doubts what you've been through, and I've no doubt you've conditioned yourself into many terrible things to survive," Nerites scrutinized her with watchful eyes. "But that being said, this seems an awfully convenient time to put the word forward about knowing of a Sage when we've been scanning Cocoon for over a month in search of him or them, wouldn't you say?"

"I wouldn't," Lightning objected boldly, "Jeanne and Cereza never made me aware of the war effort until today, knowing I wasn't ready to let go. I don't think it's much of a surprise that the arrival of my father comes with finally snapping me from delusion at all. The Sage's hold on me rooted with a story of my male father escaping the Umbra; since the Umbra all know that's not possible, and my father just came in the same day, I think you can all judge where my proof came from."

Interesting, Nerites thought speculatively. She seemed to have a ready answer for everything; this was not the Lightning they'd seen before. "And what made you sure, Lightning? The manipulation could not have been so easy to break of with a simple, friendly appearance of a face."

"It wasn't," Lightning answered easily, and Nerites eyebrow lifted as her hair extended, revealing a champagne coloring that matched her father's. "This was only the last of things," Lightning said, lifting a strand of it as proof. "Jeanne, Cereza, Jihl, and my parents broke me from the rest throughout the time we've been here."

"Fair enough, Lightning." Techne claimed from the other side of the hall, "Would you be willing to send your father in reconnaissance of everything you're about to tell us?"

"What?" Lightning slipped up, choking over the suggestion. "No! Dad doesn't— "

"I see." Techne interrupted. "You won't send someone you love to this location, but you're willing to send all of us? Hmm."

"Techne, that proves nothing," Thalia threw back, "Except that she loves her father. We, ourselves, just decided it'd be way too dangerous for Farron to go."

"So, you'd feel comfortable riding in blind on a claimed previously-brainwashed girl's testimony that she's changed?" Techne tossed back.

"Even if you would, Thalia," Selene said with supreme eyes of distaste. "Clearly, we've made an impression. Assuming she hasn't told you anything before this, Jeanne," Selene's eyes ticked in the woman's direction, judging for something Jeanne seemed to pass, "How do we know this isn't another of her games? I don't know about you, Sisters, but it seemed to me Lightning had honest intentions to help us procreate, hmm?" Some other Umbra seemed unsettled in agreement.

"I wouldn't send the Umbra to their deaths." Lightning claimed boldly, interpreting Selene perfectly.

"Wouldn't you?" Selene posed in distinct distaste.

"I'm sending my mother and Jihl's with you!"

"A thing that could easily deterred with a little misleading. Clever child," Selene murmured in distinct suspicion. "Why don't you say it plainly? You disapprove of the rapes, have sympathy for Ragnarok and her kind, most especially since meeting your father, and now you intend to gallivant us into a foreign world on your word alone that there's one Sage sitting unexpectedly waiting for us?" Selene offered her a smile at the murmur rising around the room, "Kudos, child."


	52. Chapter 52

"You may doubt Lightning," Jihl offered unexpectedly, "But what about me? Sage sent us to claim Fang's children, who I'm _radiating_ pregnancy with." The girl spoke true; Nerites could feel it, and she knew all her sisters could too. "Why wouldn't I return to Sage if I was loyal to him?"

"Deception has many layers." Selene spoke easily. "Umbra have no tricks of the mind. Illusions are the Sages specialty, and an illusion has been woven here. Beautifully." Athena laid a hand over Selene's at the rail. She leaned over to speak to Lightning.

"Lightning," Athena asked wisely, "Is there anything you can give us as proof of your intentions to us? You understand, every Umbra in this has raped Fang. All except your mother."

"Better question yet," Nephelai posed instead, "Why did you rape Fang? Was this on an order of Sage's?"

Lightning glanced between the two women, eighth and sixth accordingly sitting next to each other on the left side of the hall. She said, "It was," Lightning clarified, "We were supposed to bring Ragnarok's children to him. I can tell you this and anything you need to know, everything that happened since Jihl and I came into Gran Pulse. We're not lying; I'm as pissed at being used than any of you must be doubting me. I'm not working for the man who orchestrated my rape."

"Not even to save another of the same fate?" Athena posed, and Lightning shook her head.

"Sage wouldn't do that. He wouldn't save Fang. And I don't want the world of men leaking into this place."

Thalia seemed very tired when she finally offered, "They were brutalized, Sisters." Which drew all eyes. "I'm not saying we shouldn't be cautious, but…"

"What would make you believe me?" Lightning asked like a pleading. "You can bind me and Jihl down until you see my details match, if that's what you want."

"Send Raina and Jeanne," someone suggested, and eyes turned towards Roma, who lifted an eyebrow with a direct look upon Lightning. "Raina can't be trusted," Roma went on to say, "But she means something to you. And Jeanne is one of the ones you claim 'woke you up' from your delusions, Lightning? It sounds like you're grateful to her as well in all this."

"Roma, what are you saying?" Ariadne accused suddenly, suspecting something. Nerites did too; Roma was all about power play.

"Jeanne is our Elder," Roma pointed out, "And trustworthy. Agreed?" When no one spoke out differently, Roma continued on to say. "If Lightning speaks the truth, she should be willing to send both of them to the location without the rest of us in escort. If there's truly only one Sage, two Umbra should be more than enough to overpower him with the advantage of no warning on his part."

"Roma, no!" Thalia protested, "The Sage would be old and wisely by now, more powerful than we'd ever seen them. It easily took three or more of us to safely take down one in the old days, and he'd be stronger yet in magic than ever we've faced. Sending two of us almost guarantees a death sentence!"

"Then join them, Thalia." Roma answered simply with a shrug, "It's my understanding that Jihl and Lightning often visit your home on friendly terms, do they not?" she didn't wait for an answer. "You and Araidne can follow, and Cereza, if it's numbers you seek. That's five of us; five Umbra against one, unsuspecting Sage. If Lightning is telling us the truth of him, she should be willing to send the ones she trusts and loves to defeat him. Tell me my logic is flawed, Sisters. I believe I've found a solution to the trust we seek."

Lightning gawked on the floor. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"Only if you're lying, child." Roma said with a little smile. "If you send them into a den of Sages, yes. They'll die. But if there's only one, our Elder has stood undefeated in her place for years with Cereza. Thalia and Araidne are our Fifth and Seventh strongest of 18. Raina herself used to be second; does it not make sense to send our strongest, those Lightning trusts to seek this Sage? If she is trustworthy, we'll face no problem. If she is not, she won't send them, or she'll send them to the wrong place where there are no Sages, and they will come back and reveal the deception."

"And if she sends them straight into the Sages' den, Roma?" Persephone challenged, not liking the idea at all. Roma was sneaky, but Nerites could see exactly what she was doing; send all the sympathizers away. She probably had a power play in mind to grab Jeanne's seat while she was away, though that place wouldn't fall to her… Roma couldn't switch positions now that she was pregnant again. She couldn't fight for it in her state.

"Sends her loved family to their deaths?" Roma challenged, and even Nerites had to admit she had a point. Lightning wasn't going to do that, her love for those she valued was written all over her face, but she couldn't back down her claim or information now either. She'd either have to send them to the one Sage was there, or she'd send them off elsewhere, and be revealed for a traitor.

"Her logic is sound," Nephelai volunteered. "Lightning and Jihl care about their mothers and have favorable opinions to Thalia and Araidne. She won't betray them, and we'll find out either way. Decisions would fall to Persephone in her wartime absence. If I might suggest; I will volunteer to go with them. As a supporter of using Ragnarok, we can tell if Lightning told them anything by what happens to me."

"Nephelai!" Persephone gasped in shock, her wife's words directly against her own in countering.

"You know I'm right, Persephone," Nephelai offered, excusing the outburst. "Roma's suggestion is well-made. This is a solid way to determine the truth of things, and the safest way is to go in number. I'll accompany you and make us six. That should be more than enough for one Sage, no matter how powerful he's become. We are powerful too, and six should be able to handle him. And on the off-chance if the worst happened and we perish, there will be enough of us left to defend the rest of us together."

Lightning said something quietly to her mother, but Raina just kept shaking her head. Jeanne finally spoke. "That sounds fine, Sisters."

"Mom!" Jihl protested, but Jeanne waved her off.

"Our girls have nothing to hide." Jeanne said firmly with a shake of her head, "We can vote on this and be done. Persephone will accompany me in the questioning, and we can put off other issues we might pick until tomorrow's meeting or after. Agreed, Sisters?"

Nerites shook her head dismissively; nothing would tell now, but time.

**XXX**

"You didn't have to bite her so hard, Rhea," Fang admonished, taking Serah's wrist gently in her hands to dab two fingers into the healing salve to treat the bite on the meaty side of Serah's hand.

"She was licking my face!" Rhea protested, pressing the wet cloth to it as Fang had instructed. Fang shook her head.

"I really don't mind," Serah offered kindly, thinking the little one too adorable to fault. Rhea had a way about her that just made Serah smile to see and hear; obviously spoiled silly, the little one had so much warmth to share. Much had come from her mothers, Serah was sure. "I get injured worse with my mother when she indulges me enough to play. You should see the scars I have on the back of my neck from being picked up between her teeth when I was a cub."

"Really?" Rhea asked, suddenly excited again. "Can I see?" Serah smiled and brushed aside her hair. She leaned forward a little bit, with Rhea climbing up the side of the counter to reach for the back of her neck. "Wowww," Rhea admired, touching a few of them with her little fingers. "Those look cool. Mums always heal mine immediately, so I don't scar like this. Mums don't, either. Just Fang does."

Eyes aimed at the floor and Fang's lap, Serah lifted them to her arm where a variety of scratches, some deep at one time, had been gorged. Her opposite arm held a few others in different positions and severities. She sat back as Rhea pulled away again. "This might sting," Fang warned before she touched her with it, applying the healing cream. Serah winced at first bite of it, but it didn't hurt so bad.

"So I see," Serah confirmed, eyes returning to Fang's arm first where that powerful muscle rested sculpted under the mark of some animal she'd slain. Serah's eyes ticked to her chin, where the three slashes from something powerful marred Fang's pretty face. Far from making her unattractive, Serah thought them quite flattering. All scars were a testament to what someone had lived through; it was why Serah asked her mother to keep hers. Yuns found scars attractive, and Fang's were no exception. Serah could just imagine her fighting some giant beast, breath catching as a paw caught the side of Fang's face, and battling through it. What a Yun!

"Fang got hers from her adventuring." Rhea claimed, "She's got some on her big thighs too. Mums have tried to cure them, but it didn't work. I think they're cool, though."

Fang gave Rhea a small smile. "They're just looking out for you, Rhea. Not all scars are pretty."

"Yours are," Serah blurted, and then blushed when Fang's eyes turned back on her again.

"That's a Yun sentiment," Fang picked out in glancing over her. "Is that why you keep yours, Serah?"

Serah's blush returned in double; of course Fang knew the Yun sentiments, she just hadn't expected a question… about her, ohh, Fang's eyes were so pretty. Crystal green; such a desirable color in eyes. "A little bit," Serah revealed shyly, "Dad told me once… scars are character, they're what you've been through in life. It kinda stuck."

Fang nodded once and wiped the remaining cream off onto her jeans; she picked up a bandage from the counter beside the cream. "Is that why you don't heal your injuries?" Fang asked, not accusingly, though it started Serah a little. Did she think…!

"I can't heal," Serah hurriedly said, afraid Fang would think she was making her do this just to be patched up by her. Fang quirked an eyebrow at her. "The skill hasn't come through yet, at least." Serah confessed, "And it might not. We noticed I didn't seem to have as much magic as my mom. I can't transform quite like her, and my magic seems less powerful than hers. We thought it must be my Yun side, but I have Dad's senses so, nothing to really worry about."

Fang didn't say anything further on it, but Serah knew she was probably thinking about Rhea over the whole thing. Fang started to wrap her hand with surprising gentleness. "Ooh," Serah said suddenly.

"Did that hurt?" Fang paused in wrapping. "Too tight?"

"No," Serah said with another hint of embarrassment. Goodness, Fang was sweet. "Just… you're very good with that."

Fang only nodded once and continued wrapping. "Had to patch a lot of things through the years. She finished off on Serah's hand, then taped it over. "Does that feel okay? Not too tight?"

"It's fine," Serah promised, "Thank you, Fang."

"Any other injuries?" Fang asked, double checking over her sweetly, only continuing to fluster Serah when she touched her and made Serah blush.

"I think I'm okay."

"Your face is pretty red," Rhea said, "Like mine, but I didn't lick you."

"Rhea," Serah flustered.

"Do you have a crush on Fang?"

"Rhea!" Serah's color ripened.

"Ewww, Fang's old, Serah!" Serah wished she had a place to bury her face to keep from burning. Rhea giggled, then told Fang, "Maybe it's a Yun thing. Lightning makes eyes at you too sometimes. Your musky Yun charms and fat thighs must set them off."

Fang offered Rhea another little smile while Serah tried to control the temperature of her face. She bent over and kissed Rhea's little head sweetly. "They're not fat." Fang picked her up off the counter and Rhea squealed. Serah heard something creaking very faintly far outside the door.

"Oh!" She said standing, in no small rush to hurry out that door. "I think that's Claire!"

Rhea chased after her and snickered. "She's like my Uncle, Serah."

"Shh!" Serah quieted the giggling girl. They pulled under a rushed stop when Jeanne and that other Umbra blonde pulled through the door with Claire and Jihl behind them. Serah shied back to glimpse her mothers, where Rhea, not coy in any sense, greeted loudly. "Hi, Aunt Persephone. Mummy, you're home!"

Jeanne crouched down to take in a hug from the little one and kissed her head too as the others came in behind the first. "Claire," Serah went to immediately because her parents were right behind her sister with them. "How'd it go?"

Claire nodded once in Jeanne's general direction, who was telling Rhea. "Mummies have one more thing to do with Jihl before we can play, okay, Rhea? It won't take long," Jeanne promised.

"A questioning," Raina said to explain, hand going over Serah's shoulder kindly as Fang ventured around the bend and stopped before coming further to them.

Serah didn't know what that meant. "Are me and Dad allowed to stay, or…"

"It'll be fine, Serah," Claire promised too, protectively. "I'll be out in a little bit, okay?"

Serah folded in under her father's supporting arm and nodded. "Okay…"

"See you in a little bit," Claire promised and went away. Fang came out of the shadows after and offered.

"I'll make us something to eat in the meantime." She popped up little Rhea in an arm and toted her. Serah hoped her sister would be okay.


	53. Chapter 53

Farron sat with an empty plate and a world's worth of impatience. It'd been almost an hour since Claire had gone inside with them. What could possibly be taking this long in questioning her? She didn't like it. From what Farron had seen of Raina's Umbra sisters so far, they were as scheming and manipulative as Raina had painted them out to be. There were bad and good apples in every batch, Farron knew, but every moment this took longer was much more than Farron had expected and it made her nervous. She wanted her girl out of there and soon.

Raina reached out a hand, detecting her anxiety. She laid it over Farron's arm gently. "She'll be out soon," Raina promised without knowing. "Jeanne's not going to let anything happen to our baby."

Farron breathed in aggravation. Fang had gone off, taking Rhea and Serah to watch over them again, and Farron had a good feeling about her to let Fang do that. Claire seemed to trust her every bit, even after what they'd been through together. That was enough to convince Farron alone. Her words had been kind too, much earlier in the evening. It was almost turning day already. Farron would otherwise be sleeping with her mate at this time, and she didn't mean literally.

"Are you alright?" Raina asked again; having been there right next to Farron the whole council meeting, she'd known of difficult he situation had been for a Yun. Farron had intended to fuck her after, but that'd been before this whole ordeal. "If you want to pass some time," Raina offered, "A little release?"

Farron appreciated the offer. Raina had been sweet in understanding of their predicament, but until she had Lightning back safe and sound, she didn't even think she'd be able. "Later today," Farron promised, knowing her mate probably craved it too. They'd been apart a full week. Farron couldn't remember the last time that'd happened.

Raina nodded patiently in infinite understanding. "Claire's been excited to meet you, you know," she told her gently, "You're what broke her of the Sage; even I couldn't do that completely."

"Lucky I have the hair." Farron agreed. "Indisputable proof right there."

"I think she would've known," Raina said gently, "Even without. She just needed to see you to come to herself again."

"She'd be better if there weren't all this interrogation," Farron said with a heavy sigh. She couldn't imagine all the Umbra meetings and chit-chats Lightning had had to endure before she came here, but if it'd been anything like that last session she'd had with the Umbra, Farron knew she'd have to be exhausted. Who but an Umbra could put up with all of that? Sheesh.

"Have you thought about the war?" Raina asked gently, the subject soft after the Umbra had made a fool out of the idea of her coming.

"I still intend to go," Farron told her mate resolutely. "Those bastards molested my daughter, Raina. You can't expect me not to go with you."

"Farron…" Raina began softly, and it was tentative. Farron knew she didn't want to fight again, but this circumstance was absolute. She wasn't going to stay back here and do nothing while her daughters rapists were taken out by some other people not her.

"I don't care if it's dangerous, Raina. If I can't kill the Sage, fine, you take him out. But I'm not leaving the men unpunished who touched and scarred my little girl."

"I could die, Farron." Raina said gently, but when Farron looked at her face, she found it full of conviction. "You could die. It's more likely that you would. You know Sages have magic, and Yuns don't know anything about the skill of that."

"Raina— "

"I have to know they'd be okay, Farron." Raina pressed on regardless. "If I perish in Cocoon, I don't want our girls to be parentless in this place. You know the Umbra. Even Jeanne's had to sacrifice a piece of herself to these women. I need to know they won't have that; that you can take Serah and Claire away." Farron's jaw stiffened. "Please, Farron," Raina begged, and though it was quiet, Farron could hear it was a plea in asking. "They can't be raised in this place. I don't want you throwing your life away for revenge… not when we still have them after everything."

Farron stared hard at the table because she knew she'd give if she saw Raina's face. "Broken pieces of one," Farron mumbling said, her anger over what they'd done to her daughter an inconsolable offense. Raina didn't say anything and only squeezed her hand in begging. Farron's tightened on the table, throat tightening up with her hand. Raina knew what she was asking, of course, and she was right… the stronger of them was her, and if either of them had a chance, it would only be Raina. Much as Farron loathed what that merciless Umbra had said in council, her vicious words weren't untrue either. It didn't make this any easier to deny. They had _raped _Claire, their firstborn daughter. How could she…

Farron closed her eyes and tried to loosen her jaw enough to speak. She only managed after a few moments. "You'll slaughter them dead?"

"I wouldn't show a speck of mercy." Raina promised. "I'll promise to torture if it makes you stay."

Farron's jaw shifted again. Raina wasn't joking, she knew. Farron didn't need to hear the promise to know she'd inflict pain, but… her little baby, un-avenged by her father with the right Farron had to it. She had such a bridge in trying to tackle that one. Claire's captors deserved worse than death, and it should be by Farron's hands and her mother's. Not all these random Umbra who's daughters hadn't suffered the way. "I'll think about it." Farron said because she couldn't commit to laying off and doing nothing just yet. Maybe if Claire asked her to stay… maybe.

Raina's hand ran down her arm to hand and squeezed.

Something sounded a few rooms away. Farron's head picked up.

"Do you hear them?" Raina asked, "Are they finished?"

"A door's opening," Farron stood immediately. "They may be finishing up." She quickly picked up her empty dish and slid it onto the counter by the sink on her way to the door. Raina followed close after and Farron hastened to the end of the hall where Jeanne, Cereza, the Phony Umbra, and her girl were coming out of with Jihl. "Claire," Farron ignored the Umbra, sidestepped them, and took Claire into her arms.

"Dad…"

"Are you okay? What took so long? What were they asking in there?"

Claire pulled back only enough to smile a little bit and promised, "I'm okay, Dad. It wasn't bad. We were just detailing plans."

"Detailing for what felt like hours," Jihl, her daughter's lover, complained. "I need to eat, Light."

"Okay," Claire excused her, "I'm going to take a walk with my dad."

"Find me when you're done," Jihl said, offhand in leaving with her mothers to the kitchen. "I am days overdue for a good fingering. I'll be in the back, crushing roses."

"Okay," Claire agreed with another little smile, looking from Farron to her mother as well. "Mom, Dad."

"Let's take a walk," Farron agreed in a breath. Claire smiled, took the space between them, and seemed easier than she'd been the first two times Farron had seen her. More lighthearted without the pressure of the world weighing her down. "So, it wasn't bad in there?" Farron pressed, her demeanor not matching what Farron would've expected after an hour-long meeting being grilled in there.

"It wasn't bad," Claire assured again. "They just asked questions of the castle and of Sage."

"That wasn't too stressful, I hope." Raina read her thoughts straight.

"I'm okay, Mom. I feel better now, really." Farron wondered at that. Perhaps the confession had lifted her spirits some. "Telling them was the right thing… you'll be okay with five others, Mom, right? Jeanne seemed to think so."

"We'll get through, Claire." Raina promised her daughter, "No Sage is going to get the best of me after what he's done to my daughter."

"Jeanne said she had trinkets." Claire brought up, "Things that could protect the Umbra… you'll wear one, Mom?"

"We're not going into this half-cocked, Claire." Raina vowed. "I'll be careful."

"Are you going, Dad?"

"That's yet to be seen." Raina answered in understandable hesitation. Claire took Farron's hand and completely warmed Farron to her heart, that Claire already felt comfortable enough to do that with her, to reach out and touch; after everything she'd been through with her last 'dad.'

"Dad…" Claire looked like she wanted to say something on it, but at last second, she changed tactics. "Tell me about Mom," Claire asked finally, "How did you meet? How did you fall in love? I still don't know barely anything of that."

Farron's heart warmed. "You didn't tell her yet?" she asked Raina, surprised.

"Not everything," Raina shook her head. "It seems like so little time we've actually had. Between Roma watching over us and the meetings they constantly have…"

"I know what you mean," Lightning breathed in agreement, and Farron thought she could relate by that last one.

"Well," Farron started as they led back up a path to the far trees. "The Yuns and Umbra weren't at odds a few decades ago, you know that."

"It seems so short," Raina said with a sigh. To her, it might seem like just months. It was a bit longer to Farron.

"Umbra went to young, unattached Yuns all the time," Farron filled in, "They weren't like us. Once they found one Yun or a couple who wanted to share and give them child, they stuck with them for decades. Stubborn if you ask me, though Raina'll say it's just proper."

Raina snorted. "Twenty years ago, maybe."

Farron gave her daughter a smile. "I've converted her since."

"Farron was my first Yun," Raina filled in then, "I wasn't as ready as the others to have children. The war had just ended what seemed like months ago,"

"She means centuries," Farron supplied.

"And I missed my wife." Raina continued over anyway.

"Aletheia?" Lightning asked.

"You heard our conversation," Raina picked out. "I'd wondered… you have your father's nosy ears, Claire."

"My ears aren't nosy." Farron objected.

"Sorry," Lightning started to apologize, but Raina waved her off.

"It doesn't matter." Raina shook her head, "You're right, Claire. Aletheia was my first wife."

"Pretty tough something for a 23 year old to live up to, huh?" Farron prodded charmingly with her little smile.

"She didn't, at first," Raina said with an equal grin to Farron's shrewd pout.

"I saved myself nine years for you!"

"Saved yourself," Raina chuckled, "That's what Yuns call safe sex. 'Saving' themselves." She winked at Claire, "But really, Claire, Farron was a sweetheart about it."

"It used to be an honor, you see." Farron explained, "Umbra would choose of us when we were young and unattached as potential prospects. You could say no if you already had mating plans or something, but most of us considered it something to be held reverent. I was 16 when I'd been picked as a prospect, and I don't think it was by Raina."

"It wasn't," Raina confirmed with an amused smile.

"But I was thrilled," Farron explained, "I hadn't given any Yuns children yet, and from that point forward, I made it an aim to save myself to give the Umbra my first child. It was honorary enough just to be selected as a candidate they favored, but even more if I could give one of them something special of myself. So, from then on out, I only had safe sex with any girl I ever had sex with."

"'Saving herself.'" Raina grinned.

"It was hard!" Farron protested.

"I'll bet," Raina chuckled.

"You waited nine years on the chance of being selected by the Umbra to give them a child?" Lightning asked in disbelief. "They say that can take twenty years or more to accomplish!"

"That's true," Farron confirmed with a nod, "But it was a different time back them. I was flattered, and willing to wait. But maybe the years did a toll on me more than I thought. When Raina picked me of the selected nine years later, I was overcome with the notion to give her a baby."

"She was charming," Raina filled in, "Of the lot of them, beautiful and impish. Eager as high heavens as well. I wanted you to inherit her hair." Claire touched at it on top of her head as Raina continued. "So I picked her of the group. She'd waited a long time in Yuns years, and told me how she 'saved herself.' I thought it cute."

"I thought you didn't fall till after?" Lightning asked.

"Oh, we didn't." Raina assured, "This was all baseline observation and choosing what we'd like to see in our children. Farron spoke easily to me, she was eager, and I found her cute, both physically and interally, all things I thought would be good traits to pass to a baby."

"Cute, pah," Farron scoffed. "She means she saw my hardy and her eyes grew wide." Raina smacked the back of her head. "Ow!" Farron complained, "That's how it went!"

"That's a part of how it went." Raina corrected, and Claire glanced between them in utter disbelief.

"Really, Dad?"

"The damn thing pops up to that Umbra scent!" Farron complained. "It wasn't my fault! It was something the Umbra liked, though, let me tell you something." Another light smack tapped the back of her head. "Hey! It's more truth!"

"You know the next part from there," Raina told, moving the subject on. "Farron and I worked for fourteen years on making you."

"It was a damn long time," Farron said, "And you wonder why I got so attached to my firstborn baby."

"I don't wonder," Raina said with a little smile.

"Wait, Dad," Claire paused her, "If it took fourteen years…" she quickly did the math. "You're 59?" Lightning gawked.

"Your mother's thousands!" Farron protested, "Don't look at me like I'm old. Damn woman's a cougar over there."

"I was the first to fall for Farron," Raina filled in comfortably, "She fell in love with you first, me after."

"Raina just kept coming back with you," Farron grumbled, "She addicted me, is what she did. How can you not love a woman who repeatedly sneaks away to share her child with you when she's not supposed to? I was damned from the start to mate her. She even let me give you a Yun name and that pendant." Farron tsked as Claire's fingers lifted to it on her chest. "I'm surprised you still have it," Farron added, "That they let you keep it over there. Damn stunned to hear anyone call you 'Lightning,' I'll tell you."

"They gave me to a wet nurse," Claire explained, fondling it. "She named me from it… " Claire breathed out unevenly, "Serah told me you had given me the name."

"Figures," Farron nodded in agreement, "Men aren't that intelligent to draw the connection."

"You've known a man?" Claire asked in surprise.

"Bah. No," Farron admitted in her disgruntled anger, "Let me have my prejudice. Fucking bastards for what they did to you."

Claire squeezed her hand gently in understanding. "I wasn't alone, Dad. Jihl carried me through it. I made it out because of her."

"At least you had her," Farron agreed, shaking her head, hard-pressed to let go of the storming anger so easily. "Gonna have to hug her for taking care of you all those years. She sounds loyal, Claire. That's what I like to see in a woman for my daughter."

Claire seemed unused to hearing such things. She shifted as they reached the trail at the edge of the trees, a little shyly. "I hope you don't look bad at her for being pregnant with Fang's, Dad. That really wasn't her fault."

"I understand how it went, Claire." Farron assured with another shake of her head. Fucking bastards warped her little girl's mind so bad, she hadn't had the intentions to hurt anyone when she'd went to Fang. That's how pure-hearted her girl had turned out. Even coming out of lifelong rape as she had, her priority in following such a mucked up path had only been to help someone else; a whole people of someone else. How had her daughter pulled through like that? "And your mother and I will help you and Jihl however you need. Pregnancy's a big thing, and I know you must be scared now that it's happened." Farron breathed out a sigh, "I would like to talk to her though, and actually meet the girl you're courting."

"You can, Dad," Claire promised, "I want you to know her too. Jihl has some rough edges, but she's always been protective and caring over me. She's smart and blunt; has a good heart, and I love her."

"Sounds like your mother," Farron said with a smile over Claire sharing tastes of a strong, shielding woman like she had. Claire blushed at the comment, glancing to her mother with it.

"Maybe a little different than Mom." Farron grinned and Claire's eyes returned to her. "So… what happened after I was gone?" Claired asked. "How did you… get together?"

"I practically flew to Farron after I'd thought you'd died," Raina confessed. "I was crushed. Already had feelings for Farron like I did Aletheia, and I didn't know where else to go. Farron had to know what'd happened."

"We both were crushed," Farron added. "I was a first-time father, but Raina had it infinitely worse. There's nothing like a mother losing her baby like that." Farron shook her head. "I did what I could for Raina, but I'd been hammered with it too. I wouldn't have made it if she hadn't kept coming back. It might've started as comfort for me, having her instead of you, but there was nothing not to love about your mother. Even in tragedy. I couldn't keep from loving her back. We grew together over the loss, but I think it would've happened anyway, even if we'd gotten to keep you. Raina's impossible not to love."

"I got lucky," Raina confessed, "I hadn't felt so comfortable with anyone since Aletheia. But Farron made me feel whole again. I wouldn't have made it without her."

"Neither of us would've," Farron claimed, "Not so wholly anyway. I think that's what went wrong with the Umbra," Claire looked at her in surprise. "They were broken over their children." Farron explained it out, "A decade is like months to them; none of them could've been ready by the time Fang showed up."

Claire didn't seem to know how to respond. "But…"

"Don't get me wrong," Farron filled in for her, "From what I'd seen in that hall, they've all become selfish, entitled vipers, seeing us as they do now, like their breeding stock." She shook her head, disturbed by it. "I'm just saying, I can see how they got there by first hand experience, is all. We had loved them like royalty, and after a loss like that with the untimely appearance of Fang not a decade after…" Farron sighed, "They're afraid. Kind of peculiar, that. The immortals are more afraid of dying than we are."

Raina looked sad and strained when Farron next checked her mate; Farron could understand. She'd hardly want her only living 'sisters' to be seen in such degradation. "There's no excuse for what they've done," Raina agreed, "But my sisters didn't all have a Farron to heal the holes after so much loss. Take the ones who've done 'well,' since it happened: Thalia and Ariadne who are both still in mourning and healing over Adelaide. They haven't touched Fang because of it, because they're healing in a healthy way. Jeanne and Cereza have been forced to, and they're pressured under all their weight. Jeanne's barely surviving it for the decisions she's had to make. It's a miracle Jihl made it back to her when she did because I don't know how they'd survive this otherwise.

None of my sisters left share the same mate they fell in love with before the war. Only Nerites had that, and she lost her love to Fang. Most married too soon after for first pick of the few of us left." Raina looked at Claire, strained. "Take that against the couples most enthused with Fang: Roma's turned Cybele into her lap dog after they lost Carme, and Persephone can't even express her will to stop sleeping with Fang to Nephelai." Raina breathed out in long sigh, "Galene and Soteria are friends more than wives. Athena and Selene are constantly at odds in fighting, but they'll never leave each other, and Tethys married Lethe out of need, not love. Hecate and Techne may be doing the best of us all, and it's only because both of them are fully warped into following Roma's lead."

Raina closed her eyes in pain. "None of them were selfish, petty women once. Desperation has warped them beyond repair."

"It's not your fault, Mom."

"—fault, Raina." Claire and Farron said in unison.

Raina opened her eyes to offer the most meager of pained smiles to the both of them for the claim. Farron pushed it so she'd know. "Look what happened to Jeanne, Raina. You had to get out of there."

"I'm glad you did, Mom." Lightning added. "I wouldn't want you to have stayed."

"My family," Raina said with a shake of her head, "How did I get so lucky?" she clung to Claire at her side, hugging her close. Claire took a moment before she asked softly.

"Mom, Dad…"

"Yeah, Claire?" Farron asked gently.

"There's one other thing," Claire confessed. "I was hoping you could do for me…"

"Anything, Claire," Farron promise. "What do you need?"


	54. Chapter 54

"Can I kiss her?" Jihl asked.

"Jihl…" Jeanne cautioned.

"Oh, come on!" Jihl complained, "First my vag will snap her fingers, now I can't even mouth over her with my lips?"

Cereza seemed supremely amused, if anything. "The tongue _is _the strongest muscle of the body…"

"Mum!" Jihl whined.

Lightning reached out to touch her pretty face. "Don't move," she commanded, stroking back a few strands of hair. Jihl looked at her with pleading eyes. Lightning moved in gently and touched her mouth with wanton lips. She kissed over them until Jihl groaned.

"That was supposed to help?" Jihl whimpered as Lightning pulled away with a smile, eyes shining on her girlfriend.

"I'm here," Serah announced, coming in alone after separating from Rhea and Fang. She stopped when she saw all the adults with Jihl and Lightning's parents in the room. She looked between them timidly. "What's going on?"

"We're curing Lightning," Jihl patted the bed beside her, which dipped in dangerously with a loud creak. "Sit down." Serah moved over to that side of the room. Lightning glanced around all the occupants with a nervous eye; she hadn't quite expected _everyone _to be there. "What are you waiting for?" Jihl asked, "Take your shirt off."

"Just like your mother," Farron said with a grin that made Lightning's face hot. Lightning coughed in the back of her throat and shifted only to face Jihl, who rolled her eyes as Lightning started to remove her shirt facing that way and lengthened her hair as she did so.

"She's got a thing about family nakedness," Jihl shook her head to Jeanne's eyebrow.

"How did both our daughters inherit that?"

Cereza shrugged.

Lightning pulled her shirt off fully, hair lengthening to cover her front. Jihl sighed wistfully, eyes dropping to her chest. Lightning knew she wanted to touch them. "Behave," she warned, lying down on her front. Serah was frowning at her; Lightning assumed it was the mark. "It's okay, Serah."

"No, it's…" Serah touched at her lengthened hair where the color split. "You're right…" Serah murmured. "How does Fang's hair work…?" Raina brushed at her covering hair, moving it aside from Lightning's side. "Claire!" Serah's question cut off in a gasp when the spot on her back showed, and Raina's eyes reflected pain. Farron gripped her fists in anger.

"I'm going to kill them, Claire."

Jeanne exchanged a worried look with Cereza, and Lightning tried to sooth all present. "It's okay. They don't have me anymore." Raina gripped her hand.

"Right here for you, Light." Jihl promised, unable to touch her, but trying to give what she could. Lightning gave her an appreciative smile. She felt her mother's hand.

"We've got you, Claire." Raina promised, fingers trailing over the scar on her back. "This shouldn't hurt."

"Go ahead, Mom," Lightning encouraged, ready to have it off in the presence of her family. Something warm touched her back and spread over the lines of the marking. Lightning closed her eyes. She wasn't owned by him. Sage wouldn't have her again.

With the soothing warmth of the magic, she could feel the evidence changing, smooth skin settling over the mark of her owning. With it, Sage's last reminder on her literally closing over itself, so did the last hold he'd ever hold over her. All those memories rushed of his every kindness, kindnesses he'd taken to insure her loyalty over so many years of blindness and pain.

"You okay?" Jihl asked sweetly, and Lightning's eyes opened to her lovely face.

Lightning smiled with glowing eyes, lifted on a hand, and kissed her girlfriend before she could react. "Come on, then," Lightning said, pulling up to pick up her shirt and cast a look to her parents. "Let's do this haircut thing."

**XXX**

"You're making me want to hump you so baaad."

Farron quirked an amused eyebrow in the girlfriend's direction. Since coming into the same room as her, she'd made endless pleas to touch Lightning, seemingly with no concern of anyone around it. It reminded Farron a lot of Raina's favorable traits. She was really starting to like the girl for it. Poor thing with that deadly touch. She was in agony.

Farron pulled away the clippers so Claire could check herself in the mirror. "How's that?" Claire touched at her hair, newly pink like light champagne. Farron thought it beautiful on her, though she had a bit of bias concerning the matter.

"One moment," Claire asked, and her hair extended in parts. The back lengthened a little more with a wave, the front side short and spiky, a bit to the style of Farron's longer middle strip of pink that jutted down between her eyes. Claire's spiked to the right instead.

"Can anyone agree with me how hot she looks?" Jihl complained.

"You look good, Claire," Serah complimented softly, and Farron finally put the clippers away.

"Do you like it?" Farron asked with proud, hopeful eyes.

"It's going to take some getting used to," Lightning confessed, obviously not familiar with wearing the color enough, "But it's come out pretty nice this way."

Farron gave her a small, side-hug. "That's my girl."

"Are you going to make the curtains match the drapes?" Jihl asked eagerly, making Lightning's cheeks color a pinker closer to her hair.

"Serah, take Jihl downstairs," Lightning requested. "She needs a snack before bed to settle down, and she can't get one herself. I'm going to clean up my hair."

"Okay, Claire," Serah agreed, then hugged her before she started to leave. "Goodnight." Farron put a hand on her daughter's shoulder warmly.

"You need some help?"

Lightning looked at her warmly with a smile, but decidedly shook her head. "You should probably follow them. Knowing Jihl, she'll try to start talking sex positions with Serah or something."

Farron chuckled and patted her back. "Okay, Claire. I hope you're happy with it. I like seeing you with it." She gave her girl a little back rub and promised. "We're just downstairs if you need anything before Jihl gets back. Otherwise, get a good rest tonight."

"I will, Dad," Lightning promised, "Thanks." With one last smile for her daughter, Farron took off after following her younger one to the kitchen where Serah was just disappearing downstairs. Jihl sat miserably at the table with a pout, picking at her hand, and with a glance after her youngest, Farron could see the top, splintered wood of the railing heading down into the cellar below.

"No go on the stairs, huh?"

"No go on anything," Jihl grumbled, squeezing splinters out of her hand. She glanced back over her shoulder, "Oh, hey there. Thought you were Lightning."

Farron nodded as she came up and sat next to the pregnant girl. "You need some help there?" she offered, seeing Jihl struggle with the pieces with fingers too strong for the delicate work of tweezing.

"If you can, yeah." Jihl agreed, seeming defeated with it all as she held out her hand for Farron. Farron took it gently to pull at the splinters there. "Thanks." Farron offered the poor thing a smile, and pulled out a small, leather pouch attached to her belt. Unraveling it, she selected two fine needle pins to help with the chore. Jihl gazed in interest at the rest of the small kit. "Nice tools you've got there. Looks like a thief's kit."

Farron smiled greater an her total lack of inhabitation to say so. "It is," she confessed freely, "I thought I might need it when I got here."

"Fair enough," Jihl measured speculatively.

"You know how long this strength will plague you?" Farron asked, turning the subject back on the girl in question seeing her daughter currently. She'd like to know as much as she could about the prospect for Claire.

"Mums say a couple or a few days if I keep practicing at it." Jihl explained, "She said other Umbra have more control over it immediately, but since Lightning and I never reached our full strength, it was just a lot to pull in at once and handle."

Jihl averted her eyes. "Not that, you know, I should complain over a few days…"

"It's okay," Farron forgave, "It must be tough not to touch anything."

"I'll get control over it soon." Jihl passed on, "So, uhm," Jihl cleared her throat, seeming a little more twitchy than that blunt girl Farron had witnessed in the bedroom. "You have a nice walk with Lightning?"

"We did," Farron confirmed, trying to make something of her new shyness. "Claire seems to be doing better after your chat about the invasion."

"Yeah…" Jihl agreed hesitantly, "Mums seemed pretty content with how the meeting turned out."

If that'd been a good day at the council, Farron felt a hundred times worse for the poor Elder in dealing with that. "You don't sound so sure."

"Ah. Just sounds… a little more dangerous than if they all went." Jihl confessed with a worried glimpse up at her. "Lightning had the right idea in confessing going back on it; Mums would've got in real trouble if it'd come out, but… there's just too many Umbra I care about going."

Farron frowned. With the inclination she'd gotten from Lightning, her daughter seemed soothed after the interrogation. Jihl didn't sound so easy about it. "Did they say it was going to be bad?"

"No, they seemed okay." Jihl admitted, "It's… just a feeling you get sometimes." Jihl shook her head and steered the topic away, obviously not wanting to divulge too much into it. Farron didn't blame her for not wanting to focus on her mothers marching into war. "Light was right to tell them, though… at least they'll know what they'll be facing as much as they can."

"The Umbra are strong," Farron said to reassure the girl, "They'll pull through." Jihl offered her a meager smile she didn't really feel about it. Originally, Farron would say to trust her instincts, but the girl was scared, was all. She didn't want to see anything happen to those she cared about period. Poor thing. "What about you and Claire?" Farron helped her shift the focus. "How are you doing with your pregnancy?"

Jihl winced a little at the mention of it, "Did you and Light talk about it?" she hurried on to say, "No matter what Light says about it, it's not her fault that I'm pregnant. Karma's maybe, but not hers." Farron hiked a pink eyebrow at the immediate claim. "…if that's what she said," Jihl added, seeing the curious look she was getting. Farron knew from her confession how Claire felt about the rape, but she hadn't asked much beyond that of yet. "Lightning likes to take the blame for things," Jihl explained with a long sigh. "She's… got a bigger conscience than me. Maybe she took mine for the both of us."

Jihl shook her head, then addressed with a flinch. "Farron," Farron quirked her head at the unexpected, direct address. "I don't know what you've heard about me yet, but everything isn't great. Even my mothers could tell you some unfavorable things about me. I just want you to know… for everything I lack in… in things like compassion and empathy… I wouldn't be anyone's first choice for a suitor, but Lightning means everything to me. I'd never treat her wrong, and I fully intend to make and keep her happy every day that I'm able. She's more to me than anything. I wouldn't hurt her. Whatever you hear about me, it's probably true… but none of it applies to Lightning."

Farron's lips quirked first. She hadn't heard anything bad about Jihl had; hadn't been here enough to speak about the girlfriend with Raina, but what she saw now already added up immensely. It took guts to admit faults, and more to Yun father than anything. Farron didn't know of these 'faults' Claire had mentioned, but Jihl had been giving her a good feeling since she saw her, and even more now with this. "It sounds like you intend to marry or mate my daughter, Jihl."

Jihl smiled a little, very faintly, lowering her eyes. "Maybe someday. When we're both ready." Her cloudy green eyes lifted back to Farron again where she said. "A father should know the girl her daughter is seeing. You can pry into my faults if you want."

"Claire hasn't told me anything," Farron shared, which didn't seem to surprise Jihl.

"She wouldn't," Jihl confessed, "Lightning's too considerate… taking the blame for things."

"Is there anything you want to tell me?" Farron asked kindly, "I haven't heard anything bad, and I'm already liking what I see for Claire."

Jihl almost smiled, but it was meager, "Well," she started into it, deciding what to say in telling. "You know about… raping Fang. I wasn't so innocent in that." Farron stayed quiet to let her speak and say it, "I knew our mission was bullshit, and I was just waiting for Lightning to wake up from it the whole time when we took Fang. I… enjoyed the sex too. Completely pushed aside what we were doing… I only really had focus on Lightning."

Farron nodded, taking it in without showing signs of trouble. "It sounds like you regret it now. That because of the baby?"

"No," Jihl winced, "The baby's fine. I wouldn't mind raising a family with Lightning at all. And it seems to make Fang happier."

"So," Farron nodded in understanding, "You regret it for other reasons."

"I know it was wrong," Jihl said with a sigh, "And Fang didn't… she has enough to deal with. I just… I don't think of it as often as Lightning. And I try not to think of rape in association. It just… doesn't bring back the best of memories." Jihl sighed again. "I guess that's selfish, but I rather not dwell. It's just depressing."

"That's understandable considering where you and Lightning came out of." Farron pointed out. "Not dwelling; you must've had to utilize a method of coping to come through what you did. Kind of sounds like you picked up that."

"Yeah, well," Jihl breathed out, "If I did, Lightning picked up guilt for the both of us. What we did was wrong— though, she did it for the right reason— but I don't want her always thinking on it or dwelling either. She deserves better than that."

For what the girl had said so far, Farron wasn't coming up with a higher negative. Jihl seemed to know of her faults just fine; dealing was another thing, but for what both she and Claire had come through, forgetting it might've been the best way to deal for both of them. Jihl had simply tried to pass on the tactic to everything that'd been going wrong in her life. Farron could hardly blame her with the girl outright confessing everything she held for blame. "I can see where you care so much about Claire," Farron pointed out. "Sacrificing other things for her."

"I don't consider that a fault," Jihl told brazenly. "I'd do it all again if I knew it was the only way to bring her out of it." Jihl cast her eyes at the table, as if she knew that should be considered a fault of her own and wasn't. "I really love your daughter, Farron."

"I can see that," Farron nodded with a small smile. "Love always has its faults." Jihl inclined her head. "And Jihl," Farron added, seeing her eyes dart up again, "I couldn't have asked for someone better suited for my Claire."


	55. Chapter 55

**XXX**

Fang woke up in the middle of the night with a long yawn. Rolling out of bed, she checked the position of the moon behind her curtain and found it already way into the next evening already. Who knew who'd be up at this time? Their schedules had been all fussed up again after a long night into the day yesterday, but Fang's belly at least claimed too much time had passed in slumber. She had to get it settled with something before the rebellion.

Climbing into worn clothes, Fang pulled on a bra, tee, and boxers under her jeans. Usually, she'd go without the boxers for what her duty called, but Jeanne hadn't slept with her for over a week now in preparation for that Umbra war coming up. Fang could go in comfort today, the way she'd gone in such strange comfort without a boner almost all this time since Raina. She'd have to thank her for that, Fang reminded herself. To say in the least, this last week had been strange that way.

Suited up, Fang made her way downstairs past Jihl and Lightning's out back to the icehouse for some meat. Figuring on a lot of eaters when everyone came around to waking, Fang took both shoulders of meat and toted them both atop her own back to the house. No one was in the kitchen just yet, but it'd fill up faster than Fang could guess eventually, and now they had six Yun-size appetites to feed.

Fang began cutting at the table, chopping into the huge chunks to four smaller ones for roasting. She'd just gotten them to the sizes she wanted and retrieved seasonings when footsteps tapped along the corridor. Fang glanced up and stiffened at the sight of a pink head.

"Oh," Farron took in her presence too, "Hello, Fang." Farron greeted, "I don't think we've been personally introduced. I'm Farron, Claire's father." She held out a hand. Fang quaked to do it, undeserving of touching a Yun in any fashion, let alone taking one's hand in cordial greeting. To top it off, it was Lightning's father. They'd practically raped each other; Fang couldn't give a handshake to a father like that.

"Sticky hands," Fang said, indicating the meat she seasoned, and thanking the Gods quietly for an excuse away from taking it.

"No problem," Farron forgave easily, coming over to Fang's side. "Do you need any help?"

"I'm just going to roast them," Fang excused assistance. The last thing she should have was any kind of assistance from a fellow Yun. Farron's attempts to be friendly grated on her very soul. Farron was a Yun; she knew what was going on, and the women Fang had taken. She had no reason to treat Fang gently. Lightning had probably said something.

"Looks like a good meal," Farron claimed. "You're cooking for everyone, Fang?"

"They'll be up eventually," Fang nodded. "Rhea can practically kill a whole roast herself." Retrieving the fire poker from the side, Fang speared it through the meat. "Best to overcook than under."

"Rhea's a big eater, huh?"

Fang nodded, listened, then quietly asked. "Please don't talk too loudly."

"It's okay, Fang. Raina told me all about the situation; I'm not gonna say anything." Fang only nodded once quietly. She carried over the speared meat to the fire pit. "Claire's told me how fond you are of that little one."

"Yeah…" it wasn't that Fang disliked Farron, but being in the same room as a Yun, the people she was subjugating, her _own _clan… Fang felt so small and guilty in her presence; faces washing up in her mind of those other members she had hurt. Had Farron known any of them? She could be related to them. Fang hardly should be here in her presence unless a beating was being involved.

"I hope you'll be as fond of Jihl's," Farron commented, startling her a little as she gutted the second roast. "She wants it that way."

Fang swallowed timidly, lump in her throat growing at the mention. "You spoke to Jihl?"

"Yesterday," Farron confirmed with a nod, "She told me about how sweet you've been. Food deliveries, things you've done for her and Claire, watching over them…"

"Just doing what I can for how I contributed," Fang offered uneasily. How had they even gotten to this conversation? Farron sounded like she wanted to compliment her, which felt wrong in every way.

"Fang," Farron said simply, and Fang found the Yun's arm on her shoulder. She barely resisted shuddering. "I appreciate what you're doing for Claire and Jihl, and what you said to my girl the other day. Thank you for saying that, and doing what you've been. I hope you get as much joy from their child as you do from Rhea."

Fang stood and took it, and wished for her anger instead.

**XXX**

Raina hesitated before the door and tried to run through what she wanted to say again. This kind of thing never came easy, and Tethys had suffered a lot over it. Raina had silently wished her and a few other of her Umbra sisters the best when she left, but she hadn't expected them to find about Farron in so short a time, little over a decade. She'd hoped to hide her from them completely, as a matter of fact. Revealing that Raina had chosen a mortal over the Umbra was scandalous to everyone, but she hadn't wanted to especially rub it in Tethys' face that she loved Farron first and foremost, more desirable than Tethys was.

Yeah, this wasn't going to be easy. Raina wouldn't be able to spare her feelings this time, but the least she could give was an apology for what she'd done. With a heavy sigh, Raina raised her fist to the ornate door and knocked. She waited a long moment for an answer to finally come.

Lethe opened the tall door with a tentative smile that dropped the second she saw Raina there. With short brown hair that fell over an equally brown eye and a fuller, rounder face than most Umbra, she wasn't the most Umbra-valued beauty of the bunch, but Lethe had a good heart better than most here. It didn't stop her expression from dropping in an instant upon seeing Raina. Held on on back, a little face peered over her shoulder with the traditional, slender Umbra features and curious, grayish eyes that might've come from the hazel of her mother's.

Lethe froze at the sight of her for only a second before the door closed in her face. Raina started back half a step, jaw tightening with strain. "Lethe," Raina called after her in vain. "I just want to talk." No answer came from inside, or if it had, it wasn't loud enough to hear through the door. Raina sighed and raised her first to knock again. The door opened inward before she could try again. Lethe was furious without her kid. Raina backed a step to her advance.

"You come to _my house_ with _my kid _to harass _my wife _after pulling shit like you did at the council yesterday?" Lethe pushed her hard enough to cause a stumble down the three, long platform stairs leading to the porch. Raina easily caught herself from falling, but didn't make to advance to Lethe again.

"Break her heart some more, Raina! Just announce in front of all of them that you've married our pets!" Lethe stormed after her and grabbed her by the neat strands over her chest, ripping and ruffling them as she shoved a gun to her neck. "Tethys loves you too much to do anything to you, but I don't have that qualm, Raina. We invited you back and this is how you repay her? Humiliating her in front of everyone in that fucking council?" the hard metal of that gun struck Raina hard enough to turn her head with the blow to her cheek. "She loves you, you selfish bitch!" Another push followed, Raina reckoned just to put space between them. Her cheek throbbed, but it was Lethe's right to be angry, and a little encouraging to see how much she cared for Tethys.

"You come near her again," Lethe threatened, double-barrel pointed her way. "You're not going to be able to walk away next time."

"Lethe…" Raina's eyes went behind her to find the woman in question, but Lethe didn't even have to check.

"Go inside, Tethys."

"She didn't come here to fight, Lethe." Tethys said softly. Lethe didn't lower her gun; if anything, her expression to Raina darkened further where Tethys couldn't see it. "What do you want, Raina?"

"To apologize," Raina answered just as simply. It wasn't like how she'd wanted to say it to Tethys, but by the look of this entrance, she wasn't going to get that far with it anyway. "I can't make it up to you, Tethys, but I thought you should at least hear it. I never wanted to break your heart like I did. I'm sorry."

"Do you love her?"

Lethe glanced over her shoulder in alarm and sent a last glower at Raina before taking off to her side. "Tethys," Lethe cupped the shorter woman's cheek gently, moving in against her. "Let me take you inside."

"I want to know, Lethe," Tethys insisted weakly, "That it wasn't just…" Tethys lowered her head.

"I love her like Aletheia," Raina told truthfully, "Like I'd loved my wife. I'd almost forgotten… what it was like." Tethys lifted her face to look back and Raina could see tears in her pretty eyes. "I'm sorry it wasn't you, Tethys. I really am."

"I'm… happy for you, Raina," Tethys sniffed, tears staining her cheeks. "That you weren't lonely… all those years."

She had a heart warmer than Raina deserved for it, and Lethe knew it. "Come on, Tethys." Lethe said, guiding her back. "Let's go inside."

Raina considered it a partial success. There wasn't anything she could do to cure the hole in Tethys, but at least Tethys had an apology after all of it. Lethe had almost gotten her in entirely before Raina's other thought struck to add, "And Tethys!" Tethys stopped in the doorway with Lethe, who tried to melt her with her eyes. "You and Lethe can visit Claire any time you want. I don't even have to be there if you don't want." Raina added on end truthfully, "She would've benefitted with you as a mother if things had gone another way."

"Thank you." Tethys eyes shone bright in their misty pain after Raina.

"Goodbye, Raina," Lethe shut the door ungently.

Raina sighed out finally. At least she'd said what she could've. She wasn't seeking Tethys forgiveness, but maybe it'd done a little to ease her pain. Holding a hand up to her cheek, she generated meager cure magic to heal the bruise as she started back to Jeanne's.

Raina returned home to find her faithful mate already there and waiting for her re-entry. "How did it go?" Farron asked kindly as they navigated back into the kitchen where Farron's almost-empty plate of food rested.

"Lethe threatened me, Tethys listened," Raina shared, "Went as well as could be expected."

"At least you got to speak to Tethys," Farron eased. "I wasn't sure Lethe would let you do that."

"She tried," Raina sighed, "Tethys was at the door. It was just an ordeal to be dealt with."

"You sound tired, baby." Farron lifted a hand to her back to try to ease her. "Sounds like you could use some relaxing."

Raina glanced down at her mate, who came up to chest-height beside her. "Did you have something in mind?" she asked, starting to smile.

"Sit down," Farron urged her to a chair, where Raina sat. Farron slid onto her lap easily and lifted fingers to her hair in stroking. "Let me show you."

Raina smiled as Farron scooted in on her lap. Raina relished the warm press of her body. Excluding last night, Raina had missed this for almost two weeks. When Farron's lips touched her own, Raina just melted into that memory. Cradling her, she smoothed over that perfect mouth, gripping her around the back and shoulder. She tongued over her lip and was rewarded with the sweetest hardening Raina would ever know as Farron enthusiastically pressed to her through jeans, that sweet pocket of warmth making Raina crave her. She moved over those lips harder in a commanding fashion. Farron groaned, tight and packed against her.

"Raina," Farron exhaled deeply, breathing her in with every lick and beautiful pressing. Raina brought her in closer, which made Farron gasp. "Raina!" she squeaked, needing relief for that tight, delightful center pushing into her belly. Raina loved how she could make Farron whine like a virgin in desperate situation.

"Aren't you supposed to show me?" Raina whispered through amused lips, breath hot enough to make Farron unsteady.

"Don't get cocky," Farron warned, though clearly on the losing side of this battle.

"I don't need to," Raina smiled faintly. Farron shivered with the soft, almost soundless unzipping of her pants that she heard and felt like a bombing. "I have you." Raina undid the button at the top and eased in fingers over Farron's delightfully bare, hard pressing. Farron shivered and kissed her something fiercely for the touching.

"Ohh, Gods," Farron breathed, and Raina could tell it was just what she needed. She thumbed a finger over her squished head against her belly. She was already leaking. Her mate had definitely been in desperation without her.

"Nice and hard, sweetie." Farron clung to her in hugging, head ducked against her long neck, mewling with the secure grip of Raina's fingers as she squeezed.

"Raina…" Farron whimpered in so much need.

"Easy, Baby," Raina smiled and dragged her lips against Farron's temple to kiss. Someone cleared her throat behind Farron. Raina lifted her gaze over Farron's shoulder, not tormenting her mate by any pause in the fondling. "Hello, Jeanne."

"Raina…" Jeanne replied uneasily. Beside her, Cereza seemed amused. Farron made a whiny noise, which made Jeanne take a tentative step forward. Her eyes bulged then with a startled backwards, "Raina!" Jeanne turned away in an instant, fingers running to her hair. Cereza took a sidestep to see what she had, smiled, then chuckled.

"Oh, right," Raina remembered, strumming fingers over her like an instrument. Farron loved it. "I forgot we're prudes about sex here."

"I have daughters, Raina!" Jeanne protested, checking the doors on that side away from Raina.

Raina rolled her eyes. "What hasn't Jihl seen?"

"Rhea's eight!"

Raina shrugged. "Serah's been watching us since she was three."

Farron moaned and clung to Raina tighter. Raina could feel her high incoming.

"She's close," Raina alerted them, which amused Cereza endlessly. "Do you mind if I finish her off first? Then we'll go to our room."

"Maybe we should try it, Jeanne," Cereza suggested with a grin as her wife went to another door at the opposite end of the room to check and shut.

"Cereza, stop watching them!" Jeanne ran a flustered hand through her short hair and moved to grab her wife away next.

"Kinda hot, Jeanne."

"I don't mind if you want to watch." Raina offered.

"She says she doesn't mind!" Cereza protested in a squeak.

"Cereza! I live with sex-driven, adolescent children, I swear." Jeanne snagged Cereza's arm and pulled her wife away to the door. "Watch that for Rhea."

"We'll never really know if we don't try it, Jeanne," Cereza pleaded, making the Elder sigh in aggravation when she checked the opposite door again and poked her head out just to be sure. Farron gasped suddenly, grip tightening as a warm release soaked through her jeans. Raina hadn't expected it yet.

"Oh, sweetie," Raina pulled her hand from Farron's pants and cupped her cheek. "You missed me, didn't you?" She kissed her other cheek. Farron buried it against her neck and Raina stroked her back fondly.

"Raina," Cereza asked, standing guard over the door to her wife's rigid orders directly. "How do you give her head while standing?"

"Cerezaa," Jeanne groaned in pleading exasperation.

"She can't even kneel," Cereza protested in curiosity. "Farron has to be doing pull-ups or something during."

"Sometimes," Raina confessed with a grin. "Then again, I've gotten annoyed with it on occasion and just held her up there myself."

"Interesting."

At Jeanne's noise of discontent, Raina added. "We can talk about it later," she promised, taking Jeanne's immense pain into accounting. Cereza cast her a smile over her shoulder and Raina winked. Jeanne kept a hand over her head to ease the headache.

"I'msorry,Jeanne." Farron mumbling whimpered. Raina pet her back soothingly.

"It's okay, Sweetie." Raina eased, "You didn't know."

"Yes," Jeanne breathed on exhale. "Next time, if you could just keep bedroom activities… in the bedroom, Raina."

"Rhea could walk into her bedroom to get something," Raina pointed out.

"With the door locked." Jeanne added.

"We'll try to keep it more private, Jeanne." Raina promised. "Ready to go, Farron?"

"Okay," Farron exhaled. Raina smiled, readjusted her easily, and picked Farron straight up over the wet stain she'd made on Raina's hair front. Raina started for Jeanne's guarded door. "Sorry again, Jeanne," Farron apologized more legibly. Jeanne sighed and let them pass. Maybe soon, after the war, Cereza could show Jeanne.


	56. Chapter 56

Lightning helped Jihl in passing the days of frail touching; it took a little less than a week for Jihl to get the hang of it, which worried Cereza and Jeanne by no little means, since every accidental squish of power drew just a pinch from the newborns. They limited her practice to twice a day in episodes of three hours to give space and time to recharge without overdrawing, which was why it flustered Jihl in taking so many days.

That didn't seem to be the only problem, though. With a few more meetings to discuss the Sage, Jihl stayed more on edge than ever. Even more so than their mothers who were going to war, Lightning would say. Jeanne and Cereza seemed assured, and Raina didn't seem worried, but it did little to ease Jihl or Lightning's tensions as the day drew closer upon them. Even Lightning started to doubt as that first week passed into the second, where their parents finalized everything for the attack. The other Umbra would join them only after they charged into the keep of the Sage. It did little to assure either of them, since Sage was the first and gravest danger.

Tensions with Fang had let up and eased to a comfortable medium. Any hesitation she'd had after kissing Jihl faded with the rising comfort of interactions with Lightning's family. Lightning caught her staring at Jihl with longing on occasion, but she found it a forgivable offense and didn't verbally make mention. It wasn't a purposeful thing, and Lightning didn't mind it so much that Fang could have a little something.

Fang still couldn't look Farron in the eye, and Lightning knew that bothered her dad, but knowing how much guilt and self-loathing Fang held about the rapes, Lightning understood where she was coming from in her discomfort to connect to her dad. She didn't press it. If Farron stayed here long enough, which looked suspiciously indefinite right now, Lightning had to believe those tensions would ease like Fang's had with her over time.

The real tragedy of Fang's distance from her father also came with Raina, who Fang stayed polite to, but not sharing. Lightning hoped that would change. Her mother's heart broke a little more each time she saw the barest peep of Fang quickly hidden away by Fang's self-preservation in drawing too close to a family she cared for.

Serah was a whole nother issue altogether. Lightning had taken an immediate liking and made connection to her sister, but when that girl got with her new, trouble-making friend Rhea…

"Ohh," Lightning moaned, hot and tight as a taut bow ready to be snapped to pieces. Lightning's fingers fisted in that beautiful hair. Jihl milked her with a lavished tongue, delving so deep into her, she gushed. "Jihlll," Lightning whimpered, near tears in ecstasy as her girlfriend lapped hungrily. Legs curled and clenching over her shoulders at the knee, crevasse at her lips directly where Jihl practically drank of her, Lightning writhed, back not even touching the mattress with her only support of Jihl's hands on her inner thighs. Jihl purred into her teasingly; it made Lightning tremble with need. "Fuckkk,"

"I've got you, baby," Jihl tormented with a tongue flicker, quickly in and out. Lightning practically cried, her body trembled, so ready.

"_Please."_

Lightning's bedroom door bust in with a crash. "Jihl! Do you want to play?"

Lightning freaked; panicking, she loosened the grip of her legs instantly, but didn't fall for Jihl's grip on her thighs. "Jihl!" she squeaked.

"Oh, Rhea, they're busy." A second voice Lightning didn't want to hear said.

"What's she doing to Jihl's face?" Rhea asked, and from her braced position, Lightning could see the little one making a face.

"It's called cunnilingus," Serah said calmly, "She's pleasuring Claire."

"Fuck! Jihl, let go!" Lightning slapped her hand in utter mortification.

"Heyy," she dropped to Jihl's lap with a pant and scrambled. Where the hell was their damn blanket?!

"What's that glistening stuff?"

"That's from Claire," Serah explained, "It means she was enjoying it. She was coming to Jihl's tongue."

"Serah, she's eight!" Lightning squeaked in horror; unable to find the fucking blanket, she lengthened the one thing she could do and swathed herself in layers of hair. With no ring piercings to keep the hair in place, Lightning robed it over her body in one huge extension of strands.

"Ooh," Jihl purred with no concern over licking free the glistens from her lips and mouth fully naked in front of their sisters. "Sexy."

"Cover up!" Lightning hissed, and when Jihl didn't, she extended her own around Jihl to drag her to Lightning's body to hide in her hair.

"Mom told me about cunnilingus when I was five." Lightning gaped. Something had to be wrong with that, even she didn't know about oral till she was ten. "You don't have to stop anyway," Serah claimed, casually strolling in to open up one of her drawers. "I'm just looking to borrow a shirt. Mine are dirty and I need to wash them again."

"How long does cunnilingus take?" Rhea asked in following after her, "I wanna play."

Jihl smiled, somehow amused and happy as could be clothed in Lightning's hair, despite the interrupted orgasm Lightning needed so badly. "Lightning doesn't take long to please."

"Jihl, shut up!" Lightning hissed, body so far beyond warm in every place. Rhea might not know what that meant, but Lightning's _sister _was _right there_!

"Have you ever cunnilingus'ed, Serah?"

"Not yet. I'm pretty good with my tongue," Serah said, making Lightning's ears burn, "but I don't have technique like that. I'd fumble around a lot more; plus, I didn't inherit Mom's strength, so I can't pull off as many positions holding a girl up."

"Can we forget this ever happened?" Lightning groaned, "Serah, get out."

"Can I borrow some clean panties?" Serah asked, making this go from bad to worse in a second's time.

"Keep them," Lightning moaned, "Just go."

"Thanks, Claire!" Serah thanked brightly, standing. "Rhea and I are cooking downstairs, so when you two are ready, we have some for you."

"Have fun cunnilingus'ing, Jihl!" Rhea bade on her way out.

"Oh, we will." Jihl promised with a chuckle. Lightning whimpered and buried her head.

**XXX**

Freshly washed, bathed, and sex-washed of that horrible morning experience, Lightning made her way downstairs with a freshly satisfied Jihl at her side who practically glowed. Lightning didn't understand it; Jihl had been rather… curing of her mortification afterwards, her utter nonchalance over the invasion earlier both disturbed and concerned Lightning, who seemed vastly outnumbered by this growing ease. It had to be stopped immediately.

Lightning squeezed Jihl's warm hand when they reached the bottom of the stairs together. "Go ahead," she urged Jihl to the kitchen. "I'll just be a moment." Jihl raised her eyebrow for an explanation, but Lightning just shook her head. "It's nothing."

"Okay," Jihl trusted, "See you in there." Jihl took off for the kitchen. As soon as she'd disappeared around the corner, Lightning started for Rhea's room, currently occupied by her parents. It was still pretty early in the evening; best if she found them there alone, soundproofed away and safe. She couldn't really let this continue this way; Serah coming into her room and blatantly discussing their sex with Rhea was just inappropriate behavior. Lightning pushed into the unlocked door of their bedroom and heard them inside thankfully.

"Mom, I know Yun ways are different, but could you tell Serah to tone it do— OH, GOD!" Lightning's brain froze a perfect image of mommy sucking off daddy in the most scarring of ways.

"Claire," Farron managed with some difficulty, seeing as her mother had flattened her against the bed in a scrunched 69 and was riding her breast with Farron's guidance over it. Raina's legs splayed for miles around her head. She didn't even stop. "Need something, kid?"

69 irreversibly ruined for Lightning, she turned around and shouted. "Learn to lock a fucking door!"

"Oops. Jeanne mentioned that." Door slamming behind her, Lightning fled straight into Fang.

**XXX**

"Whoa," Fang caught Lightning's headlong dash bodily, which almost knocked her down and would've if she didn't stand so solidly. Fang put her hands to shoulders to steady Lightning right back from falling. "You okay?" Fang asked, but when she saw Lightning's face, she was decidedly not 'okay' with something. "Hey, what's wrong?" Fang frowned. She lifted a hand to touch Lightning's forehead for temperature since she looked a little pale and panted. "Lightning?"

Lightning cleared her throat, seeming strained, but she didn't manage words on that first attempt. "Nod if you're okay," Fang told her, getting worried. Lightning nodded in kind with a wince, but she still looked a little sickly. "You need a breath of fresh air?" Fang asked, then decided that seemed a good idea for Lightning. "Come on," Fang took her gently by the arm. "Let's step outside for a minute."

"Okay," Lightning managed weakly. Fang was just glad to hear her say anything. Lightning didn't display any problems walking and she hadn't been warm either, both of which were good signs to her health. She might've just gotten frazzled from something. Maybe about her mother, what with the attack so close in launching.

Fang led her out to the back where a gentle breeze carried the scents of Rhea's roses, both those crushed by Jihl's experimenting and the ones that'd been in blooming. The crisp night air carried a fresh scent, and the Gibbous moon might do her better. Lightning seemed to relax a little bit when they stepped out near the garden of roses. "That helping?"

"Yeah," Lightning breathed out more easily. "Thanks."

"No problem," Fang nodded once and lifted up her arm to Lightning's shoulder in assurance. She rubbed the skin once there, but stopped upon the direct contact. Lightning wore one of those sleeveless shirts again. Her smooth, pale skin almost reflected a gleam in the moonlight, and when Fang checked her face again, she was glad to see Lightning's normal, unstrained features pretty in the moon again, more light-skinned than pale in watching.

"You wanna talk about it?" Fang asked gently. Lightning shook her head.

"No, I'm… probably overreacting," Lightning shivered as she said it unpleasantly, "Just flustered. Been feeling really jumbled of late."

"You're allowed to with what's been happening. It's a lot to take."

Lightning smiled a little helplessly, a little meager in the attempt. "Everything's going so well. I snapped out of it, Jihl's doing better, the Umbra seem confident… I just can't help feeling, you know… happiness can't be that easy. Something's going to go wrong with it."

"Hey," Fang said, stepping towards her and lifting her other hand to the other shoulder. "If anything, after all this time, karma owes you the favor." The wind kicked up a small notch in the breeze, carrying crisp air, the scent of roses, and Lightning on the wind. Some loose petals kicked up, carried on the breeze, and Lightning winced. Maybe from the startle of cold carried on the breeze. Fang stared into those crystal blue eyes in need of assurance, azure like the clearest skies during the day. "They're going to be okay, Lightning." Fang told those eyes.

"How do you know that?" Lightning asked on a soft breath, phrased rhetorical with no answer to be had.

"You'll see." Fang wasn't a glass half-full kind of woman, but nothing could happen to their mothers out there. Fate had been cruel already, and Lightning's time of suffering was over. It had to be. Fang trusted her instincts, and her instincts told her they were going to be okay .

Lightning winced again. She lowered her head and Fang wished she hadn't. She could protect those eyes if they stayed on her, she thought irrationally. Her hand lowered on her arm to summon that gaze back, but Lightning wasn't giving. Fang detected a slight harshness in return to her breaths. "Fang…" The slight quickening of her beats caught Fang's astute attention. Her heart pounded harder, louder with the speeded beats.

"Lightning, are you…"

Lightning unexpectedly gripped her around the back with gritted teeth. "Fang," Lightning breathed raggedly. "Something's… I'm…!"

Lightning need say no more. The creeping of familiar energy tickled through her like a spidering vein. Even as Lightning stiffened, flush against her and clinging in trembling support as it spread, Fang recognized it immediately. Like a drug, her body flushed, blood starting to pump freely. It felt freeing and wonderful like a rush through her own body, but it didn't spread. Not until Lightning's azure eyes raised and looked into her, wide, scared, and in complete apprehension. A feeling Fang shared with her. "Yours," Lightning whispered in disbelief.

Fang's body flushed like fire, hardness solidifying against Lightning's body. She took the trembling, frightened girl against her, arm locking behind her body to keep her still. Fang bent her head and kissed the fragile thing. Lightning gasped at first touch, lips parting just barely, enough for Fang to kiss her fully. Her quiver quelling in Fang's grasp, mouth opened a little further as if to say something. If she wanted to, her mind lost it on a second gasp.

Reaching up, Lightning snagged the back of her hair and pulled. Lips moved to ravish Fang's, who growled and took her back more fiercely. Lightning didn't like giving way. Fingers tightening in Fang's hair, she hissed through lips Fang took in silencing, rousing a beast of furious passion in her woman, who shoved down the back of Fang's head for a fuller domination. Fang felt the sneak slip of a tongue that had her roaring, blood surging through her veins. She crushed herself into Lightning, who lost her ground in groaning enough for Fang to take control of her yearning. Tight grip in her hair only fueling her fury, Fang dominated Lightning. She gasped again when Fang caught her lip between teeth and squeezed. Lightning wrenched the grip in her hair, yanking Fang's head back and away.

She breathed harsh, pupils wide. The sweet scent of her lust fused with the metallic twinge from the split teeth had made on her lip. Lightning stared at her with those eyes, all senses fusing of the lust between them gathered and complete. Fang could sense her child like a stream of energy; the half-Yun mother of her baby standing right there for the taking. Fang had to have her. Lightning's back hit the pillar before she could even register. "Fang!" Lightning breathed, and Fang knew just how to take her. Lightning gasped in pure longing as Fang sunk in her teeth, breaking skin on that fragile collar she would perfect in choosing.

"Ohh," Lightning gasped, reaching for support around Fang's neck as she bled her. The metallic taste of her woman mixed with rising lust sent Fang over the edge. Lightning moaned, and Fang moved in against her in pressing. Fang suckled the injury, hard core tightening. Lightning's eyelids fluttered. "Fang…" Fang nuzzled in a finger to the lip of her jeans, unattached her teeth, and licked the wound she'd made to keep the blood from spilling. Lightning touched her cheek much more gently, supported mostly by Fang. Her crystal eyes were hazy in reflecting the moon. Fang's fingered into the pant. "Yesss," Lightning barely breathed. Fang ripped the pants right off her hungrily.

"Jihl! Fang's touching Light like you do. Are they allowed to cunnilingus?"

Fang barely heard the static and didn't register it. Instead, she took her woman into a grip and laid her out in the grass. Tired or not, Fang was going to have her. Lightning looked at her with a smile as Fang shed her clothes in a snap. "Don't sleep," Fang growled almost illegibly. Lightning trembled a little in the grass, needing her. Fang dropped before her on her knees and climbed over Lightning, who still seemed tired. "Feel it?" Fang asked, bottom hand moving to Lightning's belly. "Feel me?"

"It hurts," Lightning said softly, seeming happy to fall into the daze. Fang kissed her to remind her who and what would make her feel better in all this. Lightning purred underneath her, oozing for her and ready.

"Hey!" Fang's head lifted before she lowered, ears perking at the sound as she turned in the direction of clicks. "You're naked!" Jihl snapped, clicking right over to them. Fang's eyes filled with the second mother of her babies. Her eyes flared on covered spot where her mark should be. Jihl's hand on her shoulder was firm in pulling. "Sexy, but no, Fang."

Fang growled and grabbed her by that covering thing. Jihl startled in surprise and tripped at the tug. Fang dragged her to her knees by it and kissed her woman brazenly. Jihl's eyes popped with the ripping of her shirt being tossed away. "Whoa, Fang!" she pulled away, but Fang wasn't interested in cat and mouse games right now. She'd have Jihl and Lightning the same. "Those are my boobs, yes. Now— " Fang took her and laid her flat in the grass easily to Jihl's squeak. Her mark had faded and needed refreshing. Jihl squirmed at the renewed bite, but Fang placated her, holding her still with a hand. "Oh, balls," Jihl cursed, wincing as Fang suckled her flesh. "The Gods have a sense of humor, don't they?"

This one was antsy. Much more talkative today. Fang would fix that too. Fang licked over the blood droplets, hard enough to take both of them easy. Then Jihl started talking again. "Fang— " Fang kissed her quiet.

Fang kissed her quiet again, then lavished her lips with extra attention when Jihl needed more encouragement. She better not be falling asleep too on her before they mated again. "Okay, okay, I get it. Kiss you back, you're happy." Fang growled at the talking, but Jihl kissed her after then in an acceptable state. Fang lifted from her and pet those blonde strands back before separating. Lightning rolled onto Jihl's arm, so near unconsciousness, Fang could smell it.

"Mmm," Lightning murmured in contentment to Jihl's eyebrow.

"Glad you're having fun." Then, "Gods, you too? Fang's on a mission to make us all round." Fang stripped her annoying leggings to Jihl's, "Oup!" she crossed her legs. "Baaad Fang."

"Get off of them!" Someone unexpectedly shouted, lifting Fang's head again at the rude intervention with her women. Fang growled at the approach of one of the long-legged ones.

"Uh," Jihl took Lightning's limp form and backed up. Fang would protect them. "She's all yours," Jihl permitted. Fang pounced, and with a sweeping, powerful dart Fang didn't even see, she crashed through the stone fence and all went black.


	57. Chapter 57

Scooping arms into tub, Farron hooked in beneath her daughter's legs and supported her back with an arm. She gently lifted her daughter from the warm water of the bath. Water dripped from her body, soaking Farron's clothes, but she hadn't a mind for it at all. Raina came to her with a towel and pressed it over their girl's bare body to dry. Her hair dripped. Raina took a second towel to wrap her hair up against catching a chill. She hesitated over Claire to touch gently. "Jihl woke up from it."

Farron was not eased, not even a little bit. Every case was different, and for all they knew, Lightning could lay comatose forever. She looked at Raina, who gazed down at Claire with pained eyes of a mom. "Come on," Farron urged, wanting to bring Claire out of the bathroom. "Let's lay her on the bed."

Raina walked with her to lay Lightning down. She went to her dresser to find the most comfortable, loose wear she could. They dressed Lightning in that. Farron sat on the bed next to her frail body and took Lightning's limp hand. Raina sat beside her with a long sigh. Farron reached up fingers to the teeth imprints that'd made her bleed at the base of her neck where it met the collar there.

"We don't know why it doesn't heal," Raina said, sounding exhausted and worn. "Fang did the same to Jihl when this happened. She bit them both again tonight."

"What do you think it means?" Farron asked faintly, Raina being well more versed in the lore than she was.

"Fang's Ragnarok," Raina expressed in immense worry. "We don't know much about her beyond what the legend claimed. It… it could be anything."

"It's left her comatose." Farron pointed out, "Lightning and Jihl aren't like the others, but… they're Umbra."

"Yes?" Raina asked.

"Could it be poison?"

Raina didn't like the speculation any more than she did and found reason to dismiss it. "If Fang could do that, she'd have bitten all the Umbra by now." Raina shook her head, "It's only happened after Fang's sensed their pregnancies in them. Her legend is of spawning a new world of children, not killing them."

Farron quietly bowed her head; at least Raina had reasonable backing to refute it, but the bite had put both girls into this comatose state. Why else would she do that? What did the bites mean, and how could they have these kind of effects? They'd know more after Jeanne and Cereza had asked of Jihl, hopefully, but Farron didn't like it any better for that.

"Legend speaks of reshaping the world," Farron said quietly, "…and of Ragnarok's chosen."

"She bit both of them," Raina refuted quickly without considering it. "And they're half-Umbra. We're her persecutors. She wouldn't choose one of us."

"Wouldn't she?" Farron asked with a heavy feeling in her gut. "They're more powerful than full Yuns, with Umbra strength and ability with the heritage of halves. Any child Claire or Jihl bears will carry immortality with that blood. And the way we found them…" Farron closed her eyes and shook her head. "Fang wanted to fuck them, Raina. She looked like a protective Yun growling over her mates when we found her. What Yun doesn't want sex with her chosen?"

Farron looked at Raina with burnt eyes. "Chosen isn't singular-specific, Raina. And Yuns can mate more than one." Farron swallowed a hard lump. "By what she's been through… have you ever seen Fang willingly aroused?"

"I can't imagine…" Raina shook her head.

"And the Umbra effect's been off," Farron confirmed quietly.

Raina breathed out to steady her breath some. "I don't know what that means, Farron. If it's even true… I just don't know."

Farron agreed. It was just speculation, but on the chance it was true, she didn't know either. Ragnarok was sealed and unable to fulfill her purpose. Probably forever till the last Umbra died. She didn't know what Fang marking them as Chosen would change.

The door to the room opened then, and Jihl came rushing in first, followed by her parents. "How is she?" Jihl asked, touching Lightning's forehead gently. Farron smiled for the girl, but they both knew how weak it was. Jihl pet a finger back on her forehead. "She's really pregnant…" Jihl bowed her head against her lover. "Light…"

Farron observed the double bite to her collar, fresh over the healing of the other imprint, a little lower on her collar than Claire's. "It was the same circumstance," Jeanne told them heavily. "If you hadn't been there, Raina…"

"It wasn't Fang's fault," Jihl claimed, surprising Farron as eyes turned back on the girl. "We know how she gets at sudden recognition of pregnancy." Jihl said to defend. "We didn't see it… I missed it in Light."

Cereza put a hand on her daughter's shoulder before the bed. "What do you want to do, Raina?" Cereza asked gently. "Jihl doesn't want Fang shifted to another house, but if you don't want Lightning near her, that's what we'll do."

Raina shook her head. "That's unnecessary." She'd always carried a soft spot for Fang. Shifting Fang out of house would mean sending her off for more fucking from somebody else, which Farron wasn't for either, but her heart weighed heavy with worry and dread.

"Keep an eye on her," Farron asked, "Please."

"Fang wouldn't hurt Lightning." Farron's eyes drew back to Jihl's conviction-laced words of belief. "You haven't seen her enough with Lightning," Jihl told knowingly, "She wouldn't hurt her, Farron. I woke from this. Lightning will too." She gripped Lightning's hand tightly as she said it. Farron trusted the young one with her daughter completely, but Fang… Fang left a waver of doubt lingering.

Farron didn't know what to say. Jihl had been the one under Fang when they'd found her, yet she retained full trust in Fang. She'd know Fang better than Farron did, but… a father had her hesitations. "Are you alright?" Farron finally asked because she couldn't say anything else about Fang.

"I'm fine," Jihl assured easily, attention returning to Lightning. "Thanks for coming in when you did. Fang didn't get to do anything, but if she'd had… she'd be the one in the worst shape. It's good you got there to keep her from that." Jihl shook her head. "She wasn't in her right frame of mind. More like she was trying to satisfy us in animal instinct when Lightning turned up pregnant."

Worst for Fang… Farron could barely believe she'd said it. "She was going to rape you."

"It's no different than what we did to her when we were high off her effect." Farron's eyes widened at the immense confession buried in that. "Besides," Jihl added, "Fang has been with me the past two weeks and hasn't jumped me again. It was just triggered by the initial push of the pregnancy, which has passed for both of us. She's not dangerous."

"What do you think?" Farron asked Raina.

"She doesn't open up to me any more than you," Raina said sadly. "Jeanne? It's your girl too in this. You and Cereza would know better than us."

Jeanne's eyes were a little glossy when she rubbed Jihl's shoulder this time. "I trust Jihl's instincts." Jihl took in her mother.

"Mumm," she hugged her around the middle and Cereza next. What passed for Jihl had to pass for Farron, even with the eye she'd keep on Fang, Jihl had her trust. She only hoped for Claire's health.

**XXX**

Fang opened her eyes to Jeanne sitting in a chair, sleeping in an uncomfortable position half folded over herself. Fang remembered everything, and it didn't come in a rush. She'd been dreaming about it all night. Worse for the hard center between her legs that was probably from it. Fang breathed in and tried to clear her mind of it to settle her body as well. She was glad for Jeanne's current state of unconsciousness, as clearing the thoughts wasn't easy to mind.

Fang breathed in deeply and tried to keep it slow. Her hardness persisted with the flash of memories in her head. Holding Lightning. Kissing her. Lightning's pregnancy and Jihl. She'd almost taken both of them last night. It scared Fang enough to soften. Gods. She'd almost raped them.

"Jeanne," Fang called out to the sleeping woman. Dressed and appropriate again from someone, Fang pulled off the blanket and went to the chair near her bed to wake the Umbra, who started horribly when Fang woke her. "You fell asleep," Fang informed when Jeanne had gathered her bearings again.

"Fang…" Jeanne greeted, dropping Fang's stomach at seeing her in such a state. The things she put this poor mother through.

"Am I going to another Umbra's?" Fang asked simply. The solution made the most sense. It was something Jeanne had to have come to as well.

"Fang, no," Jeanne said in waking. "We're not… sending you away."

"Why not?"

Jeanne shook her head. "Jihl specifically asked that you stay." Fang's brow furrowed deeply. "She trusts you, Fang." Jeanne sighed; a hell of a thing to wake up to in the morning.

"But I— "

"I know what happened, Fang." Jeanne interrupted gently. "We made a decision—all of us, with Raina and Farron agreeing." Fang didn't understand why they'd give her that. Jeanne must've seen the confusion on her face. "No one but Thalia knows about Lightning yet. We're going to keep it that way until after tomorrow at least." Tomorrow, when they'd go fight Sage, she meant. "It's too big of a distraction otherwise when we need to focus, and I don't want it hitting the council yet. We wouldn't be sending you anywhere anyway for that."

Fang took it in and asked. "Am I restricted from seeing them?" Jeanne seemed surprised by the question, so Fang added. "I want to apologize to them."

"She doesn't blame you," Jeanne said with a sigh, a confession that further startled Fang. "You're not restricted, no, but Lightning's still out of commission. You remember biting her, don't you?" Fang swallowed hard.

"She's unconscious too?"

"In a state almost the same as Jihl's," Jeanne informed, sounding bogged down and weighted. "We think she'll wake up like Jihl did."

Fang wasn't worried about that. Lightning would wake, but even putting her into the state… there was no question. Her bite had done something. The possibility of it being the baby making them comatose was shrinking in Fang's mind. "Are they okay?" Fang asked, "Is Jihl alright?"

"She's at Lightning's side," Jeanne reported understandably. "Before you go to them, Fang…" Jeanne started like a request. "Raina and Farron would like to speak to you first. And they might want to be there if you go in with Jihl and Lightning."

"Okay," Fang understood that just fine. She breathed in. "Lightning's pregnant..." She whispered the revelation when it came back to mind.

"We've sensed Ragnarok power in her too, yes." Jeanne confirmed, and Fang was at a loss of how to take it. How would Lightning take it? She'd been so scared… A guilty, buried part of Fang lifted at the thought, but she squished the inclination at being happy with such a thing. Jihl hadn't wanted her pregnancy and now she'd done the same to Lightning, fresh into her healing. It could scar her so bad. Fang had only fucked them for a month, and both of them had turned up pregnant. How could such a thing happen? That was near the pregnancy rate of Yuns, not of Umbra. Would this cause more trouble for Jeanne?

"I'm sorry," Fang apologized before she had a handling grasp on what all this could mean. "I'm sorry, Jeanne."

"Of everything, Fang… you shouldn't apologize. I appreciate knowing it, but…" Jeanne just shook her head. "Don't apologize to us." Such pain for Jeanne… she had caused all of it. Jeanne should be the first one she owed apology for everything. "I'll fetch Raina and Farron," Jeanne said, standing. "They'll be more alarmed if you come in directly to Jihl's room."

"Okay," Fang agreed, taking a seat back on her bed's ledge.

"Fang," Jeanne paused near the door and looked back at her with hurting eyes. "I know it's hard with Farron… but try to let them in, if you can." Jeanne requested softly. "They're scared and hurting."

Fang swallowed hard and nodded once. If anything, being in the same room as Farron would be even worse now that Fang had done something so terrible, impregnated her daughter, and tried to rape her while at it, but she knew what Jeanne meant. She'd been avoiding Farron and Raina of late. She couldn't do that now. They deserved it at the very least.

Fang waited in anxiousness for the two other parents to come. It could be a little while, she reckoned, if they wanted more time with Lightning. Laying back to the bed, Fang gritted her teeth and tried to process through what'd happened and what she had done.

**XXX**

Serah sat in the room with her parents, head resting on mother's arm. Chatter had quieted down. Her parents had made the effort at first, exchanging smalltalk and concerns with Jihl, but Serah had a feeling they hadn't touched anything too ingrained with Serah in the room. Eventually, they'd quieted more, and Jihl didn't seem to mind it much. Snuggled against her still sister like a cub attached at her side, she seemed more than content to lie there with Claire in her arms.

Serah wished they could do something else. A healer had come in and attempted to work magic on Claire, but when magic hadn't solved anything, she gave her a little salve for the bite and went away with Claire's vitals alone. Jihl had shared it'd taken four days for her to wake up, which stretched on little Serah's heart. She hoped Claire's healing came faster. If she was out that long, Claire would miss bidding her parents what could be a last hug, and it'd be a huge distraction in both their minds when the fighting came. If there was a worse time for her pregnancy to show, Serah didn't know it. Just that happening now had been bad.

They'd been sitting in quiet for awhile now. Nobody slept, and that worried Serah more. She hoped it wasn't a marker for what they'd do all night. She feared for Claire too, but staying up worrying wasn't going to be good for either of them. Serah would make mention if they sat here hours longer and some.

The door creaked open slightly. Serah lifted her head along with other occupants in the room to see Jihl's mother, Jeanne, in the doorway. "Raina, Farron," Jeanne spoke softly. "Fang's woken up." Raina lifted especially as if to get up, and Serah shifted off of her mother to let her if she stood. "She's in her bedroom," Jeanne told them. "If you want to talk to her…"

Raina glanced at Claire again on the bed another time. "Light's not going anywhere," Jihl reported, seemingly in agreement that this bedside manner of alert attention over Lightning wasn't good for them. "If she abruptly gets up, I'll run down the hall for you."

Farron breathed in heavily like this was too hard. Raina took her hand. "We're coming, Jeanne," she replied softly, and Serah was almost grateful for it. Even if speaking to Fang still held the main topic over Claire, at least it was something elsewhere not standing guard-watch over Claire like hounds. "Watch over her for us," Raina bid, and Serah didn't know if she meant Jihl or herself.

"We will," Jihl promised, and with a slow start to it, Raina and Farron took off after Jeanne. Serah thought it was good for them, but when the door closed behind them, it left her in a rather awkward spot. It'd been one thing to sit in silence with her parents and Jihl, which she'd felt had a twinge of awkwardness itself, but the feeling reached whole other levels when it was she and Jihl by themselves.

"Well," Serah nervously stood, "I'll let you have some time with her…"

"Where you going, Serah?" Jihl asked with a knowing smile. "Going to leave me alone with the quality of unconscious company?"

"Oh…" So, she wanted her to stay?

"Come here," Jihl urged with a smile, patting the bed on the other side of Claire. Serah navigated to the spot on the bed with her sister and sister's lover there. "What's going on, Serah?" Jihl asked confusingly, then added kindly. "How are you doing?"

Serah bit her lip. It was a little intimidating to be here with Jihl without Claire there as a medium between them. "I'm okay," At her knowing look, she confessed. "A little scared… you know."

Jihl nodded. "Light's a fighter," she told Serah, "She'll come out of this." Jihl offered her a small smile when the words didn't hit Serah's reassurance enough.

"You look like Lightning did when she found out I was pregnant. Calm down, Sweetie." Jihl's smile was genuine. "It's like worry runs in your family. Lightning takes more than her share of that too."

Serah offered a tentative smile to the attempt to cheer her up. "I suppose we do," Serah admitted, gazing at her sister's still features. "It just… blows me away. I'd just gotten used to having a sister… and now she's like this."

"It's scary," Jihl admitted, "But Fang's kid won't hurt Light. That's what she told Lightning about me, and I came out alright."

"I hope so," Serah agreed softly. It'd be a relief to see her open her eyes, just to know she was okay. Serah didn't know everything about Lightning's condition, but Dad had told her a bare minimum about waking up and the time it could take Claire in her healing. She smiled a little sadly when she caught Jihl stroking her shoulder at the arm like she really cared about her. Serah knew how they usually were, with Jihl blatantly and subject to burn Claire's cheeks at times, but Claire seemed really happy with her and content. It was nice to see the softer side of Jihl in caring. "How did you come together?" Serah asked curiously, seeing her stroke. She knew Claire's past wasn't pretty, and on second thought, maybe that's why Claire had never told her the story of it… "If it's not terrible," Serah added, eyes lifting up.

Jihl smiled kindly at her, seeming unperturbed by any memories Serah might've provoked. "Lightning didn't tell you?"

"I never asked," Serah admitted. Claire's past wasn't something to dwell on and the last thing Serah wanted was to remind her of it. She was pretty sure her parents and Claire kept a lot of it away from her ears, and honestly, she was just fine with that.

"It's not so bad," Jihl told softly, "Lightning was the one to first bring it up." Serah's eyes opened in surprise. She would've guessed Jihl was behind that. She seemed more domineering than her sister did. "We grew up together, you know." Jihl prefaced, "Lightning and I were always together. Doing chores when we were little, cooking… they had us sleeping in the same room together from when we were young. Lightning and I grew close through that." Serah smiled a little bit. It sounded like calm beginnings. She was sure Jihl was editing it of the bad, but it sounded like they had each other from the beginning, at least.

"When we were twelve, Lightning wasn't sure where we stood." Jihl went on, "We were closer than any of the other kids we knew in the castle. Our days were made decent because we always ended up with each other by the end of it if our chores weren't together. Lightning would always sleep with me when we were younger. Nights were our favorite part because nothing separated us during those times. We'd stay up for hours with each other sometimes. Even if we were tired the next day, it was worth it for the time I had with Lightning during the nights."

"How'd it happen?" Serah asked curiously, spirit a little lifted to hear how special their time had been together. It was like a romance novel; working as kids during the day to depend on each other at night. Serah was happy to hear Claire had had that with Jihl. Even with all she'd endured, she hadn't missed out on love. "You said Claire was the first to bring it up?"

"She was," Jihl nodded with a small smile, "Lightning wasn't sure about the parameters of our relationship. You should've seen her. We were in the kitchen, and she was the cutest little thing in asking me if we were girlfriends."

"Aww!" Serah cooed, heart warming at the thought of it. "That's so cute, Jihl."

"It was," Jihl confirmed, "Later that night, she was scared and shy to sleep in the same bed again, even, but I wasn't going to let her squirm away after she'd asked me that, you know."

"You held on?" Serah asked, able to picture it perfectly in her head of Jihl grabbing a shy Claire and cuddling her to bed anyway when they were young.

"She didn't make it easy," Jihl told with a smile, "But I loved Lightning more than anything before she'd even asked or said anything. She was what I had, you know? Lightning kept me operating, and I wasn't going to let her get scared out of us. I could only safely share it with her at night at first, but it was more than enough for me. I was lucky. Lightning came around to it eventually after a bit of time and she was the one to first ask to make love."

"Really?" Serah warmed, surprised again by her sister's step first in that direction.

Jihl smiled, "Well, I wanted to for some time before that, but I didn't want to scare her again. Had it planned to suggest before she turned 13, but Lightning beat me to the punch at twelve and a half." Jihl's eye twinkled, "I'll tell you, Serah, it's one of the best memories I have."

"Awww," Serah cooed, feeling so gooey at the tale, "That's so romantic. You had Claire first, and she's still in love with you from the very start."

"I got lucky with Lightning," Jihl repeated with a little nod and eyes that spoke of her love for Serah's sibling. It warmed Serah all over to hear. Claire had such a romantic story there. "What about you?" Jihl asked kindly with a smile. "Any lucky girl back home that has your heart, Serah?"

Serah blushed. She could hardly compete with the loving romance of that story. Falling in love that young… man. "Not any single girl, no," Serah shook her head, then added so she wouldn't seem so embarrassingly inexperienced. "I've kissed a lot," she made a face when that came out a little funny, "Some, I mean. But I don't have a story like that."

"Kissed some?" Jihl pressed with a twinkle in her eye.

"Well, you know… or maybe you don't," Serah revised, realizing Jihl had grown in another world that might not have followed Yun customs. Even other tribes waited longer than Yuns sometimes. "Yuns experiment earlier with some," Serah explained, "I'm half Umbra, so I have to wait longer before I can have sex with an equipped Yun, but…" Serah shifted nervously, "I'm of age to try with other girls, and I liked making out with them. I've gone as far as groping before."

Jihl chuckled with a wide grin. "Groping breasts, Serah?"

Serah blushed and bit her lip to keep from smiling too much. "Well, I don't have them yet, so…" Jihl chuckled, and it made her a little less tentative with Jihl so friendly and open. "I don't know. I could've had sex with a couple of them, but I just… they didn't feel like the one, you know? I want someone special to break me in… like you had with Claire."

"You looking to find a love?" Jihl asked with a warming expression.

"Oh, no," Serah blushed again, "I'm much too young for that. You and Claire staying together since you were little… that's so magical," Serah's cheeks warmed further at the wording, "But I wouldn't have that. The same girl that broke me becoming my mate… that's a long time of learning."

Jihl seemed amused with her still. "So, not looking for love, but you want someone special to do it for you."

"Yeah, like that," Serah nodded, "I mean, I'm only going to be broken one time, you know… I don't want to be embarrassed as my memory of my first time. It'd be nice to have someone a little more experienced who's beautiful and they'll be sweet and gentle with me."

"Someone like Fang?" Jihl asked with a knowing grin, and Serah squeaked and hid her warm face in her hands. Jihl chuckled, so amused and friendly. "She's beautiful, Serah. I'll give you that." Jihl nudged her arm and Serah peeped through a split in her fingers at her sister's lover. "She's sweet too. Nothing shameful about a little girl crush."

"It's inappropriate," Serah finally surfaced from her hands, "Yuns can mate decades apart, but they're usually older than I am."

"You're not planning to mate her, are you?" Jihl teased.

"Of course not!"

"Then it's okay to admire," Jihl said, and Serah's creeping smile returned.

"She's just such a Yun," Serah breathed out wistfully, "And her eyes!"

"Pretty greens," Jihl shared warmly with her fangirling, making Serah feel better about it. "She's a sweetheart, alright."

Serah smiled into Jihl's earnest eyes on her. "I want my first to be someone like Fang," Serah claimed with a sigh, "It's just harder to net a bit of an older Yun with the way I look. My Umbra half doesn't let me mature too quickly."

"You're beautiful, Serah." Jihl countered, making Serah blush. "Some pretty girl's going to treat you right for your first. And I bet she'll be just like Fang."

"Well," Serah grinned, really enjoying this little chit chat with Jihl. "We can hope, at least."

"You'll find her." Jihl nodded, and Serah felt good, talking about this kind of thing to Jihl. She really had a softer side that was showing, and Serah felt happy to share a little girltalk in it. "Come on," Jihl encouraged, turning her eyes back on Claire. "Let's take care of this one before she starts to get jealous." Serah giggled and helped Jihl out.


	58. Chapter 58

"Raina," Fang greeted when she and Farron came in unexpectedly sooner than Fang would've given them to separate from Lightning. "Farron,"

"Fang," Raina greeted quietly, and Fang could see the strain.

"Come in," Fang said when Raina hesitated with her mate at the door. That awkward twist gutted Fang's chest. What could she possibly say to them that would make any of this better? Their daughter was pregnant and comatose from what she'd done.

"Fang," Raina replied, coming in with Farron. "How are you feeling?"

How was she feeling? Like dirt, especially with Raina asking. These two shouldn't have any concern for her whatsoever, and Raina was asking after her health after finding Fang looming over Jihl and Lightning? Fang felt terrible over it. "Raina, I'm fine," Fang passed off, "I'm sorry about Lightning. I didn't— "

"We know it wasn't on purpose, Fang." Raina interrupted, the only one to speak of them yet. Farron remained a silent intimidation that shamed Fang through and through.

"Jihl spoke to us about what happened," Farron finally said, and if Fang thought the quiet had been bad, Farron speaking seemed even worse. She shouldn't even have to address Fang like that.

"If you don't want me near her, I understand," Fang offered. She'd asked Jeanne, but Raina and Farron should have their own say in it too. Fang didn't care if they forgave her; she didn't want that, but the way Jeanne had spoken of it, they'd want her to open up about this. She'd do that for them if it's what they wanted from her.

"That's not what we want, Fang."

"What do you want?" Fang asked, ready to provide whatever it was on the asking.

"To talk to you?" Raina said with a sigh in sitting beside her on the bed. Farron sat on Raina's other side. "To get a picture where your head's at," Raina continued to say. "This isn't the first time this has happened, Fang." Raina reminded gently. "You wanted Jihl when it happened to her the first time. You went after both of them this time."

Fang lowered her head. "I want you to talk to someone about it, Fang. Even if it isn't me."

Fang's jaw went tight in stiffening. Raina spoke like she was a first concern near the extent that her daughter probably was. She'd always had this soft spot concerning Fang, but how could she still carry that after everything? Fang didn't deserve the concern Raina was giving. She wanted to help her, it seemed, but Fang had such trouble accepting anything from either of them. "It was instinct," Fang confessed, then winced with it. "I wanted her when I felt it. Knowing that she's the mother… " Fang abruptly trailed off. Could she call them her children? She had nothing but providing the seed that'd bore them.

"There's no shame in being attracted to a woman bearing your children, Fang." Farron unexpectedly voiced. Did she feel the same as Raina too? It made Fang feel heavy in the chest. "I learned that with Raina, Fang. And it's something you should learn to accept too." Fang looked her way and saw Farron giving her a steady stare. "We know what almost happened," Farron said, sounding like a father now. "Jihl says you weren't yourself of mind, and I'm tending to believe that. I haven't seen you lay a finger against Jihl or Claire these past few weeks." Fang's throat tightened up. Farron gave her too much credit for what little she knew.

"So, what about it, Fang?" Farron asked. "You planning on having sex with my daughter again?"

"What?" Fang started, "No! I didn't mean to do that— "

"So, it was an accident." Farron determined. "Good. Jihl was right about the spur of the moment, then? That you only acted out of that rush seeing Claire pregnant?"

"It's not going to happen again," Fang promised, "I'd never want to hurt them. You can stay with me in the room when I'm with Claire— I won't lose control around them again."

"That's what I need to hear." Farron assured, "Monitoring your every movement won't be necessary, Fang. I can hear it in you that you don't mean harm to Claire." She shook her head and glanced at Raina. "And I'd be a hypocrite to blame you for the attraction off your children."

Raina smiled faintly and slipped her fingers into Farron's hand on the other side. "We're not restricting you. I've seen the kindness you've given Claire from time to time. With what's happened between you… I appreciate you giving her that. You've taken care of my daughter in the worst of circumstance, and I don't put that aside lightly." Hesitating, Raina touched her arm and held it. "Thank you for that, Fang." Trembling inside with the warmth firing against her every instinct, Fang held out and didn't pull away.

**XXX**

Fang entered quietly, super-sized, hot bowl in hand. She gingerly pushed into the room and was greeted with a light chuckling before Jihl and Serah looked up to the door. "Fang," Jihl greeted, smiling like she was fine with Serah there. She waved Fang in. "Something smells delicious. Are you bringing us food again?" the lighthearted front might've been for Serah's benefit, Fang took it. Jihl had always been good with such topic-steering with Rhea, of course she'd handle a teen just as well.

"I brought soup," Fang said, though both of them could already smell it as such.

Serah already started rolling up out of the bed. "Well… I gotta go see Mom, Jihl," Serah related to the older girl, excusing herself, "I'll be back in a little bit."

"Okay, Serah," Jihl nodded with a little smile for the girl, "Come back and we can chat some more." She winked, which made Serah a little more shy and red in passing Fang with a furtive,

"Hi, Fang," she gave in passing. The door shut behind her.

"Come on over," Jihl said when it had, patting the spot on the bed on the other side of Lightning where Serah had just been. Fang wasn't presumptuous enough to sit as close or lie down as Serah had been. "Is that for Light?"

"And you, if you want." Fang added quietly, handing the big bowl over to Lightning's girlfriend to administer. "I can get more if you run out."

"Sweet of you, Fang." Jihl sat up more, "Help me prop her up?" Fang did as gently as she could manage, lifting Lightning from the bed to incline up against Jihl behind her so the soup would go down. "Thanks," Jihl thanked when Lightning was settled against her arm, hands looping in front of her with the bowl and spoon from it to feed her girlfriend. "So, how's it going, Fang? You can skip the apologies; those are old news by now."

Fang watched her recline Lightning gently, soup balanced in her lap. If there was one thing she liked about Jihl most, it was the forwardness that often offset others that she had. She didn't beat around any bushes, and it oddly made Fang more comfortable to talk to her. Everything was straightforward with Jihl. "They told me you spoke on my behalf." Jihl glanced up from the spoon at her. "You didn't have to do that… thanks."

"Just told them the truth," Jihl half shrugged, attention returning to spoon-feeding her limp girlfriend, held protectively to her body with an arm. "You didn't mean us ill-intentions."

"I kissed Lightning." Fang told directly, not feeling terribly awkward about it with Jihl's easy demeanor. She actually smiled a little.

"Figured you were doing that. Rhea startled me for a moment there, shouting about cunnilingus." Jihl looked gently amused, not afraid.

"Vocabulary from Serah?" Fang guessed. The other young Yun showed no restrictions to sex-education. Fang had caught her telling Rhea something a time before that.

"Yeah," Jihl said with a smile. "We'll have to watch her with that. Poor Mum."

Fang almost managed one too, thinking about Rhea, but the current circumstance pulled her too much. "Jihl," Fang addressed, lifting her eyes to meet Fang's again. "Back there, when I grabbed you… you weren't afraid. Not even when I stripped you."

"Having sex with you would hardly be damaging to me, Fang." Jihl answered simply, eyes returning to the spoon she guided to Lightning's lips and in. "Might've even been good for you if you didn't carry around the guilt plague like Lightning." Fang's eyes widened, but Jihl simply countered. "I mean it. It's kind of encouraging that you can still find anyone attractive, Fang. We might not be good to go with jumping to sex each other, but I still think it's a good thing for you." Fang didn't quite know how to answer. Jihl wasn't only okay with what'd happened… she thought it a good sign? Gah, Fang felt so messed up.

When she didn't answer, Jihl added. "Besides, you weren't going to hurt me if you did it."

"I bit you," Fang countered as revealing of her savagery in how she'd been.

"Yeah, and I doubt the thought behind it was 'hurt Jihl,'" Jihl knowingly gave her an eye. "What are your thoughts when you're driven like that?" she asked then, "I'm kind of curious."

The way she easily divested into the barest of Fang's sins and spoke of them so freely both unsettled and calmed Fang. By far, she'd pick Jihl as the easiest one she could talk to of anybody for it. Even when uncomfortable with the topic like she was now, Jihl made it seem so seamlessly easy to talk about. "I don't know," Fang scratched at the back of her neck. "Primal? I don't really think."

Jihl smiled another tad, casting it her way. "That's kind of sexy, Fang."

Unbelievable. This girl was unbelievable, was what. Jihl only seemed further amused and returned to spoon-feeding Lightning. "So, you do this to me when I was unconscious?"

"Do what?" Fang startled, and it made Jihl smile a little more.

"Bring me food," Jihl said, amused.

"Oh… yeah, a few times."

"You bring us food a lot." Jihl pointed out.

"I don't want you to get hungry." Fang countered. "Yuns need a lot." When Jihl just gazed at her with an eyebrow, Fang defended. "You don't eat enough anyway."

Jihl laughed. The chuckle sounded good spilling from her lips, good and uplifting. "You're really something, Fang." Jihl said, almost sounding fond. She touched Lightning's stomach gently, then looked at Fang meaningfully. "She's going to benefit having you around." It was one of the nicest and hardest things to hear that Jihl had said to her of all, both stinging and… so warm.

"Thanks," Fang mumbled and meant it, she appreciated it all most. Even allowing her that…

Jihl gave her a small, genuine smile, and it was enough.

**XXX**

Jihl stroked Lightning's arm. With Serah half dozing in the bed on the other side of Lightning, and Fang in a chair at the foot of it, Raina and Farron sat opposite the room, all quiet with the occasional murmur or mention from those in the room. It felt like a family gathering to Jihl. Only missing were her parents who had obvious duties with the attack on Sage commencing that upcoming night, merely eight hours away in counting. Jihl appreciated all their company, but it was time for them to go at this hour.

"Raina, Farron," Jihl spoke, jostling them unexpectedly to look up. "You need to go to bed." Raina blinked in surprise from the order of the young one, so brazenly given. "I'm sure Lightning doesn't want you going to battle tomorrow without a wink of sleep standing over her. She'd die if anything happened to you, especially over sleep deprivation on account of her." Jihl reasoned, and Raina seemed even more surprised with her.

"She's right, Raina." Farron agreed quietly, "You should go to bed."

"You too, Farron." Jihl added, startling her. She bit her lip and hoped that hadn't come off too brazen. She had to get them out of here soon.

"I'm not going," Farron confessed and sounded tired as hell about it. Jihl stiffened until she realized she meant the war effort. Still, that was unexpected… Farron couldn't hang out around here longer than Raina. That wouldn't work if only Raina went to bed.

"Still," Jihl persisted, "You've been here all night. Even I fell asleep and still found you sitting there."

"She's right, Farron," Raina agreed softly. Jihl breathed out in relief. "Watch over our girl, Jihl." Jihl nodded as Raina and Farron picked up and left. Jihl's eyes flickered to the foot of the bed.

"That includes you too, Fang."

Fang didn't question her, simply nodded and started to stand. She winced after sitting so many hours in the chair. Fang started to leave, but Jihl's heart skipped a beat at last second. "Fang," Fang turned around at the address. Jihl's throat tightened. Nothing she could say would make this better after. She was going to miss Fang so warmed up as she'd been, but Jihl had made her decision days ago concerning this. In this singular aspect, she had to scar Fang. Understanding was one thing, but forgiveness wouldn't come this time. Jihl could barely say anything, so she just managed to get out. "Thank you... for everything."

Fang gave her a half curious look, but nodded all the same. "Sure," she confirmed, then she was gone.

At her other side on the bed, Serah curled up to Lightning, arm on her shoulder in cuddling. "Jihl," Serah asked timidly, "Do you mind if I stay here tonight?" What? No! Jihl almost snapped it, but one look into Serah's baleful eyes stiffened her some. "Mom and Dad need the time," Serah said, reaching and clenching her heartstrings. She couldn't exactly kick Serah out to sleep on the couch. Dammit.

"If you promise to sleep," Jihl said on the gamble, "You can stay."

Serah's little face broke out into a smile. "Thanks, Jihl. I'll go to sleep; really tired anyway," Despite that, Serah stretched a little and sat up with a guilty face. "Just gotta go to the bathroom real quick, then I promise I'll go to sleep."

"Okay, Serah," Jihl agreed as she got up and hurried to the restroom, leaving Jihl alone with Lightning. She scooted so Lightning wasn't on top of her so much, then lifted a hand to Lightning's frail, pale cheek. She stroked back her fingers across the skin there and whispered softly. "Light…" her eyes darted to the closed bathroom door where Serah had disappeared into. They flicked back to Lightning in a second. Jihl drank in her beautiful, angled features that cut a fine, triangular shape. She lifted her fingers to the silky threads of pink hair, admiring everything about this beautiful woman.

"We don't have much time," Jihl told her softly, "I wanted to tell you this when you were awake, but… you'd probably try to stop me anyway, so maybe it's good that you're not." Jihl quick checked the door again, heart aching. She had so little time and didn't know how to say all this to Lightning, not even an unconscious one. She had a comical little playthrough in her head of Lightning hearing her speak and jumping up from her unconscious to grab her away from this. Jihl had to keep it short. "I've made a decision, baby," Jihl told her softly. "Been thinking about it for awhile now, and it's coming together tonight."

She squeezed Lightning's arm in her unconsciousness, clinging. "You won't like it," Jihl fingered her beautiful strands. "But it's something I've got to do. I'm sorry, Lightning. I've got to leave you for a little while." Jihl squeezed her shoulder, more in support of herself than her unconscious girlfriend on the bed. "I love you, Light. That's all you have to know." Reckoning her time was cutting short with Serah's return, Jihl lifted to press lips to Lightning's cheek one last. "It'll be okay." Jihl said, very quiet. She took Lightning's limp hand. "I promise."

The bathroom door opened again. Jihl lowered herself on Lightning again, but didn't let go of her hand as Serah climbed back into bed with them.

"Goodnight, Jihl."

"Night, Serah." Jihl waited what felt like a long time for Serah's breaths to return to a normal pace. She squeezed Lightning's hand and gazed upon her still girlfriend. She locked the sight into her head, nerves rising with every minute that passed. Serah breathed easily, but Jihl still held on for just a moment longer. Then, when everything fell into place with Serah sleeping next to her sister in the bed, Jihl quietly, carefully left the mattress, being absolutely cautious to keep Serah from feeling her exit. She hoped Serah would keep Lightning comforted in her absence. Jihl crawled under the bed and grabbed her handy bag from underneath. She pulled it out slowly, cautious not to jostle the metals inside. When she'd pulled back up, no one had moved yet. Jihl climbed back to her feet and stood. With one last wistful gaze upon them, Jihl stepped out of her room and closed the door behind her. It slid into place with the barest of clicks.

Jihl hurried from there in her silent flight from the room. She descended stairs and stopped to listen. Not a sound broke the house. Hopefully, the others had gotten to sleep by this time too, but Jihl wouldn't know with these soundproof rooms, both a blessing and a curse in this venture. Rhea's door was closed when she passed it, Raina and Farron inside, hopefully sleeping. She hurried by, afraid of somehow alerting them, even with the soundproof doors. She went to her mothers' bedroom and opened the door a crack slowly. Jihl's mothers were still out and would be for some time, but Rhea… Rhea slumbered in her mothers' bed, a tiny little lump in the blankets of a ten foot long bed.

Jihl walked on silent, bare feet through all this. Shoes would come when she was free of this den. She placed her backpack handy bag on the floor just outside the door. Silently, she crept in and made her way for the top dresser Rhea wasn't supposed to enter. It had a padlock on it. Dammit, that'd been freshly added. Jihl glanced atop the dresser, then to the vanity desk for a key. When one didn't present itself readily available, Jihl cursed soundlessly again. She didn't have time for this; any of them could wake at any minute and find her. She looked to Rhea on the bed when she took the metal padlock in hand. She prayed for her sister's continued sleep, then steeling herself, she yanked the lock out with a blister of splintering wood and what felt like megatons of sound.

Rhea moved on the bed and mumbled, turning. Jihl froze as she rolled on the bed, facing her, eyes blinking open sleepily. "Jihl?"

"Hey, Rhea," Jihl moved quickly over to the side of the bed, dropping the lock to the floor as she went. She touched her little sister's arm gently. "It's okay, Sweetie," Jihl told the little one. "I came in to check on you. Glad to see you're in bed."

"Are mommies coming back today?" Rhea asked with a tired yawn, already half sleeping again as her eyes drifted.

"They will be," Jihl promised the little one. "Go back to sleep, Rhea." Jihl reached for the blanket and lifted on the little girl, who smiled, eyes clothes, snuggled into her big bed.

"Mnm," Rhea murmured, sleepy falling back to it. Jihl sat with her a long moment until her breathing had evened out again. Standing quietly, she returned to the ruined drawer and opened it. Inside, her mothers' magical accessories gleamed, the ones they intended to use for the battlefront. Jihl had memorized the use of all of them. She collected up those few that would help her mothers most and took them. Jihl was out the door and shutting it in a wink. Collecting up her second bag of tools, Jihl quickly escaped outside the house. The last hints of a moon almost full glistened through the clouds, dangerous, but full of potential. Jihl took in her house one last time, aching of heart with a stomach full of dread, and left once and for all with only her duffle bag.


	59. Chapter 59

Jihl stood before the grand castle, armed only with her accessories, inner strength, and guns, Jihl wore the Eternal Testimony pin in her hair. From her mothers' drawer, she could physically feel the power circling into her through it. Jeanne had told her it would do this, continually helping to draw from the earth and creation to replenish her magic stores. Though it didn't provide much, Jihl needed every scrape of an edge she could gather in this place. With that and her Moon of Mahaa-Kalaa bracelet and a pin for extra defense, Jihl had her pistols strapped to her body with lengthened hair with fire stone in her pocket. Beside these material things, Jihl stood alone before her most feared and hated place, back again for hopefully her last.

Jihl quaked. She had conviction enough to blindside a bull, but it didn't mean she wasn't scared. She'd spent twenty-two years here in a state of constant rape, only pulling through because of Lightning. If she failed here this time, if she didn't make it… she could be stuck here forever. Without Lightning this time. Jihl wiped the thought from her head. She couldn't doubt. Doubting would cause her to misstep, and here, that'd be deadly. Jihl had come here for a reason, and she was going to play it out. Nobody's mother would die by the next morning, and Lightning's last and final link to Sage would be severed completely. Jihl was the rightful one to give this freedom to Lightning. Their loved ones wouldn't be at stake for this.

Revving up her nerve like this, Jihl went around the back end of the castle to the men's barracks that'd been attached. Power flowed through her veins like blood, the power of Ragnarok from Jihl's baby. It was the power she'd been cautiously training with for the past two weeks for this, and it was the power she was going to use to defeat Sage. With the child, Jihl had might, magic, and strength beyond Umbra power and magic stronger than that. It was a power so mighty, even Sage craved the taste, and if it was something Sage wanted, it was stronger than his might. So spoke Jihl's logic behind all this anyway.

Coming up on Sage was a gamble less dangerous than letting her mothers go after him. At the first sense of a full Umbra, Sage would unleash terrible magic that could incinerate them on the spot. Jihl had seen it before, and she wasn't going to let their parents die this way. But if Jihl was the one, Sage would sense Ragnarok in her. He wouldn't strike to kill that opportunity, not until he could have Jihl's baby. Her appearance would surprise him too, make him hesitate about her intentions. Jihl would use that with her every advantage to kill and defeat the Sage.

It made the most sense, and cut the risk to her mothers completely, but Jihl's plan came at a price. That power she held in every fiber of her being wasn't born out of her ability, but from the lifeforce of her baby, which wasn't meant to be used for gain. Every spell cast, every utilization of that ability would sap that life a little thinner. Even with her magic-enhancing accessories, Jihl knew the magic of Sage… it'd take everything from her just to overcome whatever barriers he had. The baby wouldn't make it. Jihl winced as she came around to the corner of the back end of the entrance. She took a deep breath to calm what she could in herself and peeked around the corner to the back end again. Two stood guard there. Nobody was innocent in this place.

Removing her pistols from hair that tightened the gaps over, Jihl pulled free her guns. Before she'd even rounded the corner, she shot them both dead. No one came out to check after the shots. Jihl did her best to avoid the bodies bleeding out from their heads and hurried towards the door. Taking her last inhaling breaths, Jihl snapped into Witch Time and entered the men's barracks.

Bodies stood frozen in time, moving so slow, it was like not moving. Jihl already recognized a couple of occupants from those just standing in the long hallway, lined by the rooms of the men. She shot at the still figures and the bullets poured slowly out, moving faster than the non-movement of the people, but still trapped by the constraints of time. The men would be dead in a second when time caught up with them. It'd be a quick death; a mercy they never provided her or Lightning in their rapings.

Jihl felt no remorse for these pigs. Room by room, Jihl busted the doors in and took her shots at the time-slowed men. Some of the rooms had girls in them. Jihl was more careful with those to pull the men off and away first, slamming them to the wall before shooting. One room had two of them gang-banging a tear-frozen, crying girl who looked no more than ten. Jihl took them out of the room completely, and shot both their dicks and hands. They'd never touch another child again. Those, she waited for time to come back to hear their screaming. Jihl snapped back into it once she had and continued down the rows of piggish rapists to be dealt with.

She hit the ninth room when Jihl found a target she thought she recognized. Big, hefty, black hair, white scruff, Lightning had said. He lay in the bed with a hand down on his penis. Jihl hadn't even been aware some of them still masturbated for the rape they could just have. This one was special. Jihl saddled his giant gut and waited for time to come back.

"What the fuck?" The man asked when time slowed back enough for him to realize he had a girl on his belly. "Where did you come from?"

"They tell me your name's Rick," Jihl stated in asking. "Big Dick Rick."

The man's confusion started turning into a grin. "I'll give you a ride, blondie." Rick started reaching off his dick for her hips. Jihl shot his fingers off. He screamed as blood splattered all over the place.

"Don't touch me." Jihl said calmly as Rick roared in pain.

"You bitch!" He made to punch her with his good hand, but Jihl caught his thick, meaty wrist and twisted back his arm, which snapped. He howled in agony.

"I'm here to see if you remember a girl," Jihl told, pulling the little firestone from her pocket. When he tried to kick up at her, she simply shot back into his thigh. He screamed in pain. Jihl didn't mind it. "Her name is Lightning. Do you remember her, Rick?"

"Fucking bitch!" The man howled in agony.

"See, you raped her when she had a disease. Open sores in her vag, it was real nasty." Jihl continued calmly, ignoring him, "Do you know what it feels like to be raped with open sores, Dick?"

"I'll fucking…" Rick was almost crying.

"Oh, you won't be fucking anymore." Jihl promised. "That girl you fucked? She's my girlfriend. And I hate seeing Lightning in pain." Jihl loaded the fire stone into one of her pistol rounds. She stood and kicked Rick to his side, then flattened him with a heel to his back to keep him down. Without further prefacing, she shot the fire gem point blank into the center of his ass. Rick howled, the gem piercing straight into him and lodging. It wasn't over yet.

In his squealing like a pig, he started to feel it. The rancid scent of flesh burning from the center of him outward began. It'd slowly crawl through his body, burning every part of him until he deteriorated into ash from within. It'd take hours if he didn't bleed out first. Akin to rape with open sores, Jihl judged. She leaned over his twitching, moaning, broken frame. "Come for me, Rick." With a stomp of her foot to his ass, his penis crunched in satisfaction. Jihl hopped off the broken man who couldn't even scream. She hoped he'd burn to death.

Jihl walked from the room and was met with a dagger to the shoulder that barely made it through her hair, but sliced and lodged into her shoulder. Jihl winced and immediately clicked to Witch Time. She shot those who'd came out to the hall when they'd heard Rick's squealing, but her eyes especially fell on the one that'd stabbed her. Ripping the dagger from her shoulder, Jihl recognized him. "You _fuck_," Jihl's rising anger spread through her chest. He had cut Lightning. Ramming him to the wall in rage, Jihl sliced at his pants and cut him. When she'd finished lacerating him at the front, she turned him around in the frozen state and rammed the dagger up his ass. See how he liked it.

Since most of the men had come into the hall at Rick's screaming, Jihl's job was made easier but for the men who'd stayed in their rooms, still fucking. Jihl broke the chains of another girl hog-tied to the bed and left Shanks hanging from the ceiling with them. Systematically, Jihl conquered every room in the barracks, leaving a bloody trail of bodies in her wake. When she'd finally slaughtered Ted by stabbing, who'd been one of her strongest assailants when she'd been in the stocks, Jihl's hair was dyed red. Jihl left the barracks with the satisfaction of most of their deaths. Now came the hard part: the castle with Sage.

Making her way through the halls was easy in Witch Time, dealing with guards as easy as she'd done in the barracks, Jihl traced steps down the well-known route back to Sage. Her heart amplified in her chest, beating so hard, she could barely hear anything. Jihl's mind ran blank, only existing in the throbbing fear of what she knew stood behind the doors to that grand hall. Her hands shook with it. Just outside the door, bloody bodies stretching the expanse of the castle in her wake, Jihl sheathed her pistols, hidden in the hair at her sides. Witch Time wouldn't help her with Sage.

Jihl was on her wits alone and power of her baby. Would it even be enough? Fear ran through her like a poison at the doors to Sage's lair. Jihl felt sick, and her poor baby without a chance to grow up under her mommies and Lightning. Jihl closed her eyes and washed the thought of her death and Fang's pain away in the renewed image of Lightning and her mothers on the way. If she didn't and one of them got killed instead… with a cry and tears forming, Jihl pushed through the lavish doors calling, "Sage!"

She was greeted with the barrels of twenty-some rifles around the room: Sage's private guard, none of which who'd be affected by Witch Time in any way with him in the same room as them. Jihl immediately dropped to her knees with a repeated calling, "Sage!"

Two rough hands grabbed her on either side of her lowered shoulders and dragged her up under the arms to drag forward. Jihl could easily break of the grips when the time came. Man's strength was no match for Umbra, much less Ragnarok-imbued and powered.

"I can't control it, Sage," Jihl moaned in letting them carry her closer, and the tears worked well for Sage.

"Guards," Sage barked on his throne. "Let go of her." Jihl's captors complied, dropping her more near the front of his throne. When they had, Sage ordered. "Get out of here."

"But sir— " one of them started to protest.

"I said get out! And don't disturb us until I summon you!" Sage hollered in an angry way. Jihl could hardly believe her luck. He was dismissing them! That was twenty less Witch-Time immune guards she had to worry about in getting to Sage. But Jihl's heart didn't settle any from pounding like a hammer blow. Dismissing them meant he didn't think he needed them, which was either very stupid, or too knowing…

When the last of them had left with those grand doors closing, Sage addressed. "You've returned, Odile. With Ragnarok."

"I can't control it, Sage," Jihl lied, and it wasn't hard to fake the fear in her breath. "Everything I touch is destroyed and turned to shambles or killed. The power's too strong for me to take."

"Child, come here," Sage summoned. Jihl picked up her head and self and obeyed, every step churning her stomach and head. He was just as she remembered him: aged and frail-looking with sagging skin and the crown of royalty on his head; it was hard to believe he was so deadly, but Jihl could feel it. With her tune to Ragnarok magic, she could feel the vast power of his being through her every fiber. She tried not to quake as she stepped up close to him. Sage extended a frail hand over her arm. "Where is Lightning, my child?"

"She's in Gran Pulse," Jihl reported, struck taut with fear as she loosened threads of hair to wrap around the pin. "Still trying to get pregnant."

Sage looked at her with those dull, emotionless eyes, "Child," he said, and Jihl felt a spike of cold running up through her arm from the point of contact with him. She tried to pull her arm back, but it wouldn't move, stiff as steel as her elbow joint locked tight into place. "Did you really think you'd fool me by coming back here today?" The cold was spreading up Jihl's arm. She tried to wrench away, but it was like the limb had completely locked her into place there that she couldn't move it under his gentle touch. "That you'd kill me in coming here?"

Sage's grayed, dull lips curved into a smile that shook her bones. "Like I haven't known your lack of loyalty since the day you turned fourteen?" A horrible, wrenching spike of pain split up Jihl's arm so powerfully, she almost passed out in utter pain that drove her to her knees. Sage just shook his head with that smile on dull lips. "I've been waiting for you, Child. My little Ragnarok queen."

Subtly forsaken, Jihl snagged the pin with her strands as soon as she comprehended it and wrenched it into Sage, piercing right over that cold heart of his. A jolt went through her that sent her skidding away, right arm still stiff and unmoving. At the head of his throne, Sage shuddered with the magic-imbued accessory that drained magic from a being. Jihl didn't hesitate and lifted her good-armed pistol. By the time she pulled it up to his throne seat, Sage was gone. Something grabbed her across the chest and constricted so tightly, Jihl choked. "Little trinkets," Sage scoffed as she gaped. He tossed aside the little butterfly pin in a second. Jihl couldn't even see what was holding her; it was like an invisible fist crushing in.

A sudden bolt of lightning from the tip of Sage's staff leapt out and struck her fully in the chest. Jihl screamed and went flying with the force of the bolt. She hit the opposite wall at high speed and something cracked as dizziness threatened her eyes again. It might've been her stiff arm, but when Jihl reached up with her good one, she felt a sticky wetness like blood coming from her head. The bottom edge of Sage's staff suddenly appeared in front of her. Jihl tried to move to avoid touching it, but as soon as Sage's staff touched her leg, fire raced through her nerves and had her howling. Sage crouched in front of her, utterly unperturbed by her animal-like shrieking.

"Do you know what the best part is, Odile?" Sage asked, and Jihl barely heard him in her absolute daze of pain. "I don't have to wait for you to give me a baby. I can take Ragnarok's power from you right now." He smiled cruelly and reached for her face. "It'll leave a nice husk of you for your mothers to find." He touched her cheek. Splitting pain funneled like a vortex sucking through her as a bodily world of agony opened up in a blink. Jihl could literally feel every energy in her draining to those fingers; her power, strength, and lifeforce of both her and her baby sucking up through Sage's contact with her skin.

Jihl couldn't hear, could barely think, but at that moment, one persistent image of Lightning snapped through her mind like thunder. Sage would have her after this.

Jihl couldn't let that happen again.

Both arms felt cemented in gravel, but despite the drain, the power existed in Jihl to be summoned. Accomplishing what might've been the most task-strenuous feat of her life, Jihl shoved a dizzy arm up through the cementing. It snapped something in Sage's arm as soon as she'd touched him. Sage yelped, taking an unexpected step back in disbelief at his broken appendage, and in that dizzying moment of everything rushing, Jihl lifted to her feet. In that blackened moment, she couldn't find the trigger to fire, so she threw her pistol at Sage instead. It struck his shoulder and cracked another bone in him. Sage squealed, then cast his staff to bolt Jihl on the spot again, but she was gone from the spot in a second where lightning cracked stone instead.

Jihl ran in her transformation with one limp paw and shot around Sage's back in jumping him as adrenaline ran to clear her mind by bit. The old man toppled at her weight in dropping on him and Jihl snapped teeth at the back of his neck. He moved and she clamped his broken shoulder instead and had him howling. He rolled then and struck her head with the staff, cutting a sharp incision like a knife. Jihl rolled and hit the wall, transforming back with the hurts, back aching. Sage lifted his staff at her again; Jihl loosed her hair and grabbed it. Even as she was struck with mind-whirling current, the power ran back through the metal shaft and zapped Sage in her link to it through hair.

Jihl could barely see, her eyes had gone so blurry, but the heavy weight of the staff was in the possession of her strands. Jihl reeled in back in and used it to steady herself in standing. A vague outline of Sage blurred on the floor. Jihl hoisted the staff and slammed it down at the figure with all her strength. The ground shook and Jihl lost her balance in falling. Wet gasping came somewhere from beside her, but Jihl was fading. She clutched her stomach, lit up suddenly in hot, fresh pain. Jihl gaped, unseeing as blackness clouded her vision over again. She couldn't breathe. Blood gushing, she curled on the stone floor in a tight ball as life seeped from her to the cold, stone flooring. Her last thought was of Lightning, and how she'd finally be free.


	60. Chapter 60

"There are more bodies leading to the castle!" Raina shouted from way down the corridor, past a couple halls and into an opening that branched out. Cereza was there in a second, rushing past an open door with Thalia and a crying girl.

"Th— they disappeared!" The girl stuttered in crying, "They were pumping me, and then they were gone." She cried, holding herself. "I want my mom." Her voice faded as Cereza caught up to Raina and hurried past. Her heart resonated in her chest. The bodies weren't just leading to the castle. Exact to Jihl's directions, they were leading to the grand hall.

"Jeanne!" Cereza yelled, panicking as her mind went numb. None of the Umbra had sensed Sage in this place yet. They didn't sense Jihl either. Heart hammering like a sludge, she whipped around the corner and found twenty or so time-frozen men standing in two lines outside tall, ornate doors of the grand hall. "Live ones!" Cereza alerted, barely sparing a bullet before she rushed past into the grand hall. "Jihl!" Cereza called, seeing the immediate throne empty. No one responded to the call, but as soon as she whipped around, Cereza stopped breathing all at once.

There, in the furthest stretch to the left-most angle of the circular hall, a tall, recognizable staff stood straight up from the ground. Not just the ground had been broken, but a body as well. An aged, old, recognizable body of a wizened Sage who'd seen better days. The bottom end of the staff had pierced straight through his heart and into the stone ground, which had splintered around the speared staff through stone. But it wasn't that which caught Cereza's eye and heart all at once.

Just beyond the speared Sage lay a naked, crumpled heap of a form. With long hair red-stained, blonde hair loosed, Cereza recognized her in the millisecond it took her heart to snap in beat again. "JIHL!" Cereza ran and dropped in an instant to her baby's side.

Jihl was in the worst of conditions to be found by a mom. Bloody hair frazzled with an especially stained patch on her head that still oozed when Cereza touched it. She turned her girl onto her back, taking her onto her lap and arms. A large, red flower-like split above her left breast. Blood smeared above her eye and dripped into it from a deep chop through her brow. Her limp girl was bleeding out. "JEANNE!" Cereza stood with her girl to find Jeanne just sliding in and freezing. "We need Thalia!" Cereza ran past.

"Is she breathing?" Jeanne almost screamed, terror and horror colliding. In her frenzied panic, Cereza hadn't even checked. She grabbed Jihl's limp wrist and felt for a pulse. She didn't have one. Cereza half-crashed directly into Thalia in running.

"HELP HER!" Cereza pleaded. "She has no pulse!"

Regaining herself in a second, Thalia took Jihl's wrist straight from Cereza's, touched it in the spot, and leaned over her to listen.

"The Sage is dead!" Raina reported in rejoining them, then stopped dead, "Oh, Gods."

"She's breathing," Thalia reported, "Barely." Thalia's hand started to glow green. She moved it over Jihl's injured head, but nothing happened. Thalia quickly determined. "Magic's not working; she could crash any moment. We need to get her home now."

"Ariadne, make sure he's dead!" Jeanne called out in the commotion, "Come back as soon he's burned!" Some shout came of confirmation. "Is she going to survive?" Jeanne asked of Thalia.

"I'll treat what I can on the way," Thalia said, unanswering. "We need to get her back."

Cereza cradled Jihl, ran, and prayed.

**XXX**

"What is this over her chest and arm?" Cereza asked, indicating the thin fern-shaped flower branches that'd grown out from the original striking points of Jihl's lightning hits. They appeared to be slender, intricate branch-like designs, almost like a tattoo, and they covered over Jihl's shoulder and down her arm from the point of the shoulder-blast. More stemmed over her left breast where she'd been hit with the second blast. They were a red-hued mark, almost like a burn, but intricate in design. "She didn't have those when we brought her here."

"They're called 'lightning trees' or 'lightning flowers,'" Thalia explained to the worried mother. "They're rare marks that raise on the skin an hour or so after being struck. They're formed by the transmission of static electricity along the superficial blood vessels that nourish the skin. Those marks are harmless; it's blisters forming I'll have to watch for over the next couple of days, most likely over the strike point of the lightning blasts. If they do come, I'll have to lance them, then treat for infection, and cover them. Otherwise, her marks may stay or fade. The blast transmissions were strong, so they may be there for sometime. Or forever, depending how she heals."

Thalia shook her head, "What's most concerning about the lightning strikes is the chance of neurological damage. Jihl was shocked twice with high voltage blasts. Potentially, it could scramble some signals."

"Brain damage?" Cereza asked in a shallow breath.

"On the worst-end scale, possibly." Thalia winced to tell that hurtful bit to the poor mothers. "The blasts weren't aimed at her skull, though, and the current traveled down, so the chances against it are with us, but we won't know fully until she wakes again."

"What else?" Jeanne asked, indicating the many places Thalia had worked on Jihl. "Her eye won't be damaged, will it?"

Thalia moved her attention back up to the head-wrapped patch she'd bound over the diagonal cut into Jihl's brow. "The cut was deep," Thalia admitted, "But he missed the eye by a hair. If she doesn't heal up, she'll have the scar into her brow, but Jihl's narrowly missed losing her vision in the eye. I don't want to stitch it because it's too close. That should heal of its own after some time," Thalia indicated the wrapped gauze around her head. "Jihl's head struck something, though. It may have been hard enough to make her concussed. I don't know how much of the fight she'll remember that she had with Sage."

Poor Jeanne and Cereza wore immense strain on their faces in different ways. Jeanne had her hand on Cereza's shoulder for support. Thalia couldn't imagine what horrors they had going on through their heads now, and worse because she wasn't done. Thalia continued without prompting to get it all out and passed. "Jihl's arm has been broken. That's why I wrapped the wood with it in the sling to set back in healing; she shouldn't move it other ways. As for her leg, the thigh muscle's been ruptured. It'll take some time to get better; Jihl shouldn't be on the leg and stay down as much as possible, especially during these first few weeks. Maybe a month of bedrest— "

"A month!" Cereza said in alarm.

"Or the gentlest use when wrapped on a crutch necessary," Thalia nodded, "It will take longer to heal completely, but if she keeps activity down for the first month to a bare minimum and stays light on the limb after without straining it, she should be able to make a full recovery in around three months for the muscle. If she puts it into too much strain, the damage could expand." Jeanne squeezed Cereza's shoulder, obviously scared over her daughter.

"Will she wake?" Jeanne finally asked, voice barely there. Thalia ached for the mothers. Jihl had been comatose just a few weeks ago, and now this had been struck upon them. They lived in perpetual fear for their daughter, and it hurt Thalia to know their pain.

"Jihl's body has shut down after taking all the injuries she's had." Thalia explained, "It's a coping mechanism to rest and heal once our bodies have taken too much strain."

"You're not answering the question, Thalia."

Thalia bit down and lowered her head, "I would like to say her chances are good once she's healed up some. The body's known to restore itself and re-awaken when it can handle all the functioning again. I think so, Jeanne. But I cannot promise you a hundred percent without investigating further healing." Jeanne and Cereza had to be near breaking point with all this.

"Is the baby gone?" Cereza asked, voice barely breaking a whisper for knowing how it must've gone. But Thalia had one thing for them… one confusing matter of all.

"That's the part that doesn't make sense." Thalia's eyes stayed on the broken girl before them. "Cereza, Jeanne… Jihl shouldn't have lived through this at all." Both mothers looked to her for further explanation of the statement. "I don't mean that this was a close call," Thalia clarified directly. "She should be dead. The power inflicted and sapped from her wouldn't have just robbed the babies of their life. It should've killed Jihl as well. I'm… dumbfounded how she's still with us at all. There's not a 'maybe' about it, Jeanne, Cereza. A hundred percent, Jihl should not be with us now."

Cereza deeply frowned in her ultimate sickness over Jihl's state. "Thalia… you said 'babies,'" Cereza swallowed, looking ill. "She had more than one?"

"She _has _more than one," Thalia revealed the one good part, something that made no sense at all.

"They're alive?" Jeanne barely voiced.

"As far as I can tell, yes." Thalia confirmed, "Jihl hasn't had _a_ miscarriage, and she would've if even one of them had died. It's the faintest detection I've ever felt, but both of Jihl's babies appear to be alive. I'm… really at a loss. Neither Jihl nor her children should've come through this alive."

"Could having two have done it?" Cereza asked quietly, and Thalia looked to her inquisitively. "None of us have had more than one at a time," Cereza reasoned. "She could've… had more power with two."

"I don't know." Jeanne admitted, shaking her head. "Jihl tried to take precautions. She took your bracelet and the clip, but even with that and having two, if you're right, Cereza… I just don't know."

The door opened behind them and a little knock came at the door. Fang poked her head in and cleared her throat. "…the second bed's set up for Jihl in her room."

"Thank you, Fang." Thalia said because she had a feeling the mothers were too overwhelmed. Fang hesitated in the doorway, looking across the way at Jihl. She worked up the nerve and asked.

"How is she?"

"Better than expected," Thalia said with a shake of her head. She hesitated in telling Fang the news; Jeanne and Cereza would know how they'd like to handle that best.

"We'll be right up," Jeanne told her with watery eyes of a mother on her hurt child. "Rhea can be there in a moment, Fang." Fang nodded and took her leave without further questioning. Thalia watched Fang disappear again; she hurt for all of them.

**XXX**

Twins. Three days later, Fang thought in astonishment. Perched on the side of Lightning's bed, she looked across the way to Jihl where the unconscious girl lay with her two mothers there constantly. They never left their vigil over Jihl's unconscious body. Fang had only seen them once disappear in need of an Umbra gathering that'd called them all together again. Otherwise, Jeanne and Cereza sat perched at Jihl's side in constant care and monitoring. Jihl's room was growing to be quite a busy place, in fact. Rhea spent all time that Fang didn't take her out with her sister and mothers, oftentimes seen with Serah, who played a real supporter part for the girl when Fang couldn't with other chores. The mothers and Farron were especially worried at a constant rate. Fang had already felt Lightning's healing coming around, but she knew how much more it'd mean when Lightning finally awoke for them.

Otherwise, Fang stayed busy too. With Jeanne and Cereza so concerned and fretting, with Raina and Farron taking a near second-parenting over Jihl alongside sick Lightning, they barely took care of themselves at all in this constant state. Fang had begun trading herself between cooking meals and taking care of Lightning when the parents were all on Jihl or Raina and Farron had disappeared for a time. Umbra didn't need much, but Fang wanted them to have something more than nothing, so she was often found in the kitchen these nights and days. Whether it was stew for Jihl and Lightning, meats for Rhea, Serah, Raina and Farron, or arrays of greenery and vegetable things for Jihl's parents, Fang switched off cooking duties with the little ones. And she was always around to help Lightning in her state when she needed caring. Fang would've liked to be more attentive to Jihl as well, but the almost constant monitoring of her parents for her cares and needs was beyond understanding after what they'd been through in aching over Jihl.

Yet still, the girl had twins… Fang couldn't stop thinking about it every time she gazed Jihl's way. The girl lay broken in her sheets and bedding, but alive with Fang's kids.

Fang didn't understand it any more than the parents when they told her all about Jihl and what'd happened. Stun had taken its first root in Fang; she hadn't even been angry for a moment. Jihl's actions garnered understanding after they'd mutually discussed the circumstance one of these days ago. Jihl had gone out by herself to kill the Sage a night before the Umbra invasion. Fang could guess why. Dual reason with worry for her parents and, Fang reckoned, a desire to kill the bastard who'd manipulated Lightning, she understood it just fine, and seeing Jihl in the state it'd rendered her to do such a thing, even in her hardest of hearts, Fang couldn't blame her for what she'd been willing to sacrifice for those around her. Yet even then, the babies had made it…

Fang's eyes returned to Lightning on her bed, also freshly discovered as pregnant. It meant no less to Fang that Lightning held her baby. Jeanne estimated about five weeks for Lightning, since that was the usual time of Ragnarok power manifestation, Jihl at seven and a half in their pregnancies.

Everything was jumbled. So much had happened and Lightning hadn't even woken up for it yet. She'd be crushed with it when she did. Fang never would've imagined being in this room with two half-Yun mothers of her babies in a situation like this. It'd been three days, and she still had trouble processing it. The situation had become so extreme…

"How's our baby?" Raina asked, coming in with Farron. Both of them had verbally and actionly told Fang they trusted her with their Lightning; it meant a lot more to Fang than they realized it did.

"She's okay," Fang told them, standing from her spot to politely allow Raina and Farron in. "I still think she's going to wake up today. It could be any minute— "

"Mom?" Lightning's dehydrated, cracked voice asked with uncanny timing. "Dad?"

"Claire," Raina gushed, and Fang stepped away to give the parents their time with Lightning freshly awake. "Don't try to move, baby." Raina advised, "You'll hurt something with your strength. Lightning blinked in sitting, and Farron took the other side of the opening.

"There's so much to tell you, Claire. Stay lying down." Jeanne and Cereza ventured the few steps over to Lightning's bed, the most they were willing to part from Jihl, at the signs of life in Lightning. "Where to begin…"

For Lightning, it'd be a long day.

**XXX**

Hours later, Lightning took another broken rose in her hand and discarded it, completely understanding Jihl's earlier frustration with this. Jihl… even thinking her name made Lightning's throat catch. Knowing what she'd done, what she'd risked for Lightning… her girlfriend was both a fool and amazing, and it'd sent her into a catatonic state again. Gods, she just wanted to hold her and participate in caring for her girlfriend to health. Her parents had been supportive, of course, and they'd been out here for hours trying to help Lightning get the hang of it. Lightning had just recently released them to go eat and attend to other things they needed to do away.

Squishing what felt like her 5,000th flower, Lightning finally gave it a rest for the time being. Plopping onto her butt among the dozens of petals and very few roses left, she tried to ease her mind of an exhausting, super-cumulative day.

"Lightning?" Lightning glanced back to Fang coming up behind her. "Would you mind some company?"

"I don't know," Lightning let out a short, half-snort of a laugh. "We don't seem to have the best of luck near these roses together." Fang smiled faintly and took a seat beside Lightning on all the petals in disarray. Lightning was so exhausted with everything, her usual hesitation went right out the window today. "I'm sorry for kissing you here the other night, getting you all worked up like that."

"I kissed you first," Fang countered with a shrug, also seeming to let things go extremely loose today. "Sorry for biting." Lightning gave her a little smile that she felt and meant for Fang.

"So," Lightning put out there, "Looks like we're both pregnant."

"Yeah…" Fang asked gently. "You okay?"

"A little scared," Lightning confessed. "More that Jihl won't wake after almost dying for me, though." Lightning kept her head bowed, but turned it Fang's way. "What about you?"

A bit of the same." Fang confessed back.

"Are you mad at her?" Lightning hoped she wasn't. Jihl's actions had been made for her and their mothers together.

"No," Fang answered, sounding truthful, "She was willing to give up something for the people she loved. Can't really fault that." Fang shook her head, "I should've seen it coming from the way she was talking about it, though. I really hope she's okay by the end of it."

Lightning offered another soft smile she felt in talking to Fang. "I'm glad to hear that, Fang." Fang gave it tentatively back, then rolled up to her feet again.

"Come on," Fang waved her to follow, "You've been on liquid diet the past four days. I'll make you something real to eat."

"If I don't slaughter it," Lightning rolled up to her feet as well and followed Fang.

**XXX**

Over the next couple of days, Lightning trained with it steadily. Inbetween times of smashing flowers, she went upstairs with Fang. Jeanne and Cereza finally had to leave more often, and they entrusted Jihl's safety and monitoring to those left in the house while they were away. Fang went up in shifts, always with Lightning when she took over in caring for Jihl. Lightning wasn't at the point of touching Jihl yet, but she was getting there step by step. It still was horrible not to touch her girlfriend in her fragile state, but Fang took admirable care of Jihl in her useless wake.

Lightning walked with Fang on the occasion of Jihl's washing one day. Fang picked Jihl up gently with the utmost care like Lightning would've. She toted the unconscious girl to the bathroom. Lightning grabbed a towel, one thing she could touch, and laid it out on the ground. Fang lowered Jihl with care and fragile grace. When she lifted her arm to remove the sling from getting wet, it was in the least disturbing way she could manage. They'd given up getting Jihl into shirts days ago, so when the sling across her chest was gone, she sat half bare. Fang made the polite effort to keep her eyes away from staring. It was sweet of her, and so characteristic of Fang. Fang removed the cloth-lined panties they'd made like a diaper for Jihl carefully, then finally took off the bandages from her head that were more there to keep the healing salve from smearing than anything else. Even the deep cut over Jihl's brow had started to heal, though it'd take much for time for her arm and leg to get better.

Lightning eyed up the ferny, flower-like scar that'd raised like a thin vine over Jihl's left breast and arm. It was almost like a tattoo on her, and Lightning didn't think it looked all that terrible. Kind of pretty. Lightning didn't altogether hate it where it was.

When all her bandages were unwrapped but for the stint they kept on Jihl's arm, Fang carefully lifted her fully naked girlfriend and gently eased her into the tub. Lightning couldn't help finding the tender way she took care of Jihl to be a highly attractive trait.

Halfway through the process of gently washing Jihl, Lightning noted the surprising return of Fang's third party, tight in her jeans. "Am I giving off too much scent?" Lightning asked, knowing she felt a little warm, and that it might be affecting Fang.

"No, it's not that," Fang made a noise in her throat. "Besides… Raina's manufactured the reverse spell. She cast it on you when you were unconscious."

"Oh…" Lightning cleared her own throat as well. Both of them were… oops. On second thought, it was kind of funny… a little amusing. Lightning glanced at Fang, failing horribly to hold back her own embarrassed smile. It was only a second, but Fang nearly flashed her one as well before scooping Jihl out of the tub.

"We should get this right here," Fang said and started bandaging again. Lightning felt more light of spirit than she had all day.

**XXX**

The next day, Lightning had just excused herself from the room to go outside with Raina. Fang took charge of tending and sitting with Jihl for it. She took a chair next to the bed and monitored over her still frame. Fang was tempted to talk to Jihl; she'd heard that sometimes helped, but she probably wasn't the voice Jihl waited for to wake up to. She took Jihl's chilled fingers in her hand instead and warmed them. Fang's head dropped to stare at their hands for a long time, content and a bit tired to simply sit with Jihl's frame.

Maybe an hour passed. Fang wasn't sure without the sun or moon's positioning. But then Jihl made a noise, and Fang's head lifted in an instant to see. Jihl made another noise and weak fingers closed on Fang's hand like she was trying to squeeze. "Lightning?" Jihl croaked with glossy eyes hard in blinking.

Fang's heart fluttered to see her rising. She started to stand. "I'll get her."

"Fang," Jihl corrected and tried to lift her other hand to keep Fang's from slipping away, but caught in the sling, she only groaned with the pain.

"Don't try to move," Fang advised, torn as she glanced to the door. Jihl was just in waking and should have someone there, but Fang was hardly optimal choice. She deserved Lightning… "You took some hits." Fang said, and Jihl groaned from it.

"My body hurts," Jihl complained with a groan, and that convinced Fang to stay. Raina and them might be up any moment now anyway, and Jihl shouldn't be left alone with her injuries. Jihl winced, features scrunched, obviously in pain, but it seemed to increase when she gazed upon her. "Fang…"

"Hey," Fang cautioned, touching her head with her other hand to stroke back into Jihl's hairline. "Shh. Don't worry about me, Jihl. Just work on getting better."

"I'm sorry," Jihl said softly anyway. "Killing her… I'm sorry, Fang. It's the one thing I'd change."

"You don't need to apologize to me, Jihl— "

"Yes," Jihl interrupted, "I do."

Fang warmed a little to the sentiment. Even being afraid of the pregnancy, she hadn't willfully gone to kill Fang's babies. That meant a lot to Fang, that it'd been a sacrifice she had to make, not one she wanted to. Fang warmed a little to the sentiment. Even being afraid of the pregnancy, she hadn't willfully gone to kill Fang's babies. That meant a lot to Fang, that it'd been a sacrifice she had to make, not one she wanted to. "Jihl, she didn't die. Neither of them did." Jihl's glossy, pained eye clouded over with confusion when she gazed up at Fang.

"Neither of _them_…?"

"That's right," Fang confirmed, neatly matting her hair back down. "You're having twins, Jihl, and they're still okay." Jihl's eyes rounded. In another second, she barely loosed her fingers from Fang's hand to wrap an arm around her neck in pulling her down over her. She was shaking as she hugged her with one arm unbroken. It took a long minute to catch herself and work up the words in effort. "Fang," Fang caught the catch in her voice. Something wet grazed her neck. Fang had never seen her cry. "Get Lightning."

Fang kissed her trembling cheek and obeyed.

**XXX**

Hours, parents, Fang, Thalia, and siblings later, Lightning sat in the bed beside Jihl. She didn't touch her for the risk of it, but laying beside her awake frame was enough. She couldn't relax enough next to her lover, whole and frail.

"You really scared me," Lightning said quietly after she'd settled. She would've shaken her girlfriend if she could, but her super-enhanced power control wasn't quite ready for that. So, long hours over the initial flood of her emotions, Lightning breathed a little more calmly, if shaken. "You scared all of us."

"Light, I had to." Jihl insisted with injured eyes. She wasn't supposed to move much with her injuries, the ruptured muscle in her leg especially, but Jihl lay sideways on her good side, taking in Lightning as well. "I couldn't let Mums go, and I had to… for you."

Lightning pleaded with her pretty eyes. "You could've died. You very nearly did."

"He wasn't supposed to have expected me. I had Ragnarok strength and something he wanted. It was the safest way…"

"I know why it makes sense, but," Lightning countered, not denying those things. "He could've killed you, taken you, locked you up again…" Lightning's heart beat so strong. "I could've lost you, Jihl."

"You're more important than the possibility of those things. The time we spent there, Light. All the men that'd touched you… they had to pay. I was rightfully the one to do it. I had to kill them. Especially Sage."

Lightning ached to touch her. She might've been able to, but Jihl was in such a frail state, Lightning wouldn't risk it for the comfort. "Do you know how much that scares me?" Lightning pleaded with her eyes on Jihl, which dropped to her stomach. "You were willing to kill them _and _yourself... for me."

"Well," Jihl tried to lighten the heaviness between them, "I won't have to do it again."

"But you would." Lightning said, not going for it with a heart that felt like a stone. She didn't know what she would've done if Jihl hadn't come back.

"I love you that much." Lightning's eyes filled with such pained, wistful love. Jihl reached out wholesome features and brushed her cheek with them. "Don't be sad, luv. I'm here, and the babies survived the fight. We're still going to be mothers. Both of us." With such an angel watching over her, Lightning couldn't even comprehend how lucky she was, or how lucky they had gotten. It was the stuff of storybooks. Jihl's fingers traced fond, light lines on her cheek in brushing, and Lightning's mind went to the children they carried together now, their children and of Fang.

"I kissed Fang," Lightning suddenly said, eyes lifting back to Jihl's in the confession

Jihl's injured eyebrow lifted, then winced when it stung. "Not exactly the first thing a girl wants to hear after professing her love, but not the worst news I've had today."

Lightning bit her tongue. "It was in the garden." Lightning confessed because she'd already started and Jihl deserved to know, "Before you found us, I'd just started to feel the pains of baby-Rok. Fang was there and holding me and she started to kiss me— "

"Lightning— "

Lightning overran her because she needed to hear it all, "And I kissed back. Passionately. I knew it wasn't you, and I'm not going to make excuses. I wanted her— I even said she could have sex with me. I was horny and caught up in the moment. It didn't mean anything, but I che— "

"Lightning," Jihl rolled her eyes and took her face more firmly in her good hand. "I kissed Fang too that night." Lightning silenced on the spot and looked at Jihl with round eyes. "You were probably too delirious off the hype to remember, already passing out, but I kissed her too, okay?"

Lightning blinked at her, registering. "Passionately?"

Jihl actually chuckled, "She looked damn sexy hovering over you. She grabbed me when I started to drag her off and laid me next to you before we kissed. Looked like she wanted both of us."

"You're not mad?" Lightning asked, tickled with something in herself.

"You planning on leaving me for Fang?"

"What?" Lightning startled. "No!"

"Then what do I have to be mad about?" Jihl smiled, eyes gleaming.

Lightning didn't understand. She finally got out. "You'll slaughter a barracks full of men for having any relation to touching me, but when I willingly make out with Fang, you're okay with it."

"Why not?" Jihl shrugged, charm in her eye catching Lightning's. "Fang's not going to mistreat you. Besides, she's hot. Next time, if you want to kiss her, invite me to watch."

"Jihl!"

Jihl chuckled, mirth in her eyes. She leaned in to lay her lips to Lightning's and kissed her warmly with love. Lightning _mmm_ed and _very _carefully pressed to suckle her mouth. Long, slow, and full of passion, Jihl's eyes were misted when she finally pulled away. "I'm not worried." She kissed Lightning again, who paused between it and the next kiss.

"Not even…" lips broke up her speech. "A little jealous?"

Jihl laughed. "A little turned on." Lightning's lips fell to a pout. Jihl smiled and kissed her forehead. "You're so cute, Lightning." She pulled back to look at her with dark greens shining. "You're going to be a great mom."

"Three kids..." Lightning breathed, softspoken.

"Maybe you'll have two too." Jihl suggested.

"Don't hold your breath," Lightning said with a little smile. "Thalia says it's too soon to tell. Have to wait a few more weeks to see."

"I wonder if breastfeeding's swappable. Like, you take my extra for a day… or a week."

"You're going to make Fang nervous again," Lightning said with shining eyes on Jihl.

"Nah, it's good for her to feel like a real parent. Builds character."

"She's going to go crazy protective over both of us now, you know. Especially with your history."

"Character," Jihl repeated, making Lightning smile a little more.

"You're going to drive both of us crazy, aren't you?"

"That's what I do, isn't it?" Jihl returned with a smile of her own. She reached up a hand and touched Lightning's cheek gently. Though Lightning wouldn't risk touching it yet, she turned her cheek into the comfort and kissed Jihl's palm, which made Jihl happier again. Lightning was glad enough to have her back more than anything. With everything Jihl had done for her, the men who'd abused her dying with Sage. She'd been so strong and brave, facing all of that alone for Lightning and their mothers' safety.

"You're amazing."

Jihl's smile was playful. "That, I know already."

"I love you." Lightning told, feeling warmed all over. Maybe this was her time.

"I know that too," Jihl said with shining eyes, olive-toned and beautiful. Lightning loved green eyes.

"I want you to marry me." That one took her off guard. Lightning sat up to the surprise registering in Jihl's eyes. Her pocket felt so heavy. Lightning reached a hand into it. She'd been waiting to be able to do this since they'd told her after waking.

"Light?" Jihl asked, making the wincing effort to sit up as well. Lightning would've put a hand to her shoulder to keep her down, but she had too much focus of concentration in keeping the thing between her fingers from crushing. She pulled it out gently.

"Jihl," Lightning lifted up the delicate ring she'd gone to a town to have crafted with her mother and Farron. In exchanged, they'd send some hunts to the Tira clan for the craftsmanship. Raina was still teaching her to help. "Will you marry me?"

Jihl's eyes puffed first on the ring, then at Lightning in disbelief. She barely breathed. "Yes!" Jihl finally choked and grabbed her with the single arm she could. Lightning held her arms out of reach so she wouldn't accidentally hurt her in squeezing back. "Lightning!"

"My family's been known to call me Claire." Jihl squeezed her surprisingly strong for how weak she'd been. She kissed her bare, then started moving onto Lightning's lap. "Hey, hey!" Lightning cautioned in startle.

"We need to have sex." Jihl ordered.

"You're injured!" Lightning protested, "And I can't touch you!"

"I can more than get off by your kisses," Jihl countered, pressing her lips to Lightning as if to show her better. Her sexy demeanor, already naked and bare, had already started to warm Lightning.

"At least take the ring so I don't squish it!"

Smiling, Jihl plucked it from her fingers and slid it onto her own. She'd already started rocking on Lightning and leaned down to kiss her full in the most unfair of ways, perfectly able to touch her with the good hand, which was talented as ever. "This seems like a bad idea," Lightning warned, already arousing with Jihl's appeal.

"I never have those." Lightning's incredulous was cut short by that mouth, loving and passionate in laying over her own. Jihl kissed back to her ear and whispered, "My wife," Lightning shuddered, "_Claire._"

_-Fin-_


	61. Chapter 61

**EPILOGUE**  
**Months Later**

In the distant community of Dias and Yun children, kids could be seen at play. Mothers visited their daughters with fathers who hadn't bore them, but loved the girls like their own. A little girl gave a drawing to her visiting Mom of the family she had back home. The mother hugged her and didn't cry before her daughter, just grateful enough to be allowed this time. A surrogate Dia mother spoke to the Dad about her growing and promised everything was progressing just fine. Around the perimeter of the settlement where the little village broke out into a pass, the Zyk sentinels stayed mostly hidden, but there in case trouble arose or if anyone tried to make off with a baby. No one did. Visiting privileges were allowed frequently by good behavior. A few Yun mothers had learned early on not to tempt that bond; they didn't escape, and were always found if they had. The Ragnarok echo left a trace where women couldn't hide their babies.

So, they stayed peaceful in a state of gratitude just to have the chance to see and play with their children and half-sisters and babies. Trouble rarely disrupted the community for this reason, but trouble was in store today.

Beyond the peaceful play and interaction of child to parent on the outside of the village, one particular Yun inside a house was in pain.

"No penis," one of the physician's remarked. "Cut her cord."

"She has another coming." Summer screamed in delivering her second baby. The first physician attending quickly handed off the girl to Sky, the tending father to the pregnant woman.

"Summer," Sky told, holding the baby in her arm, Summer's hand in the other. "We'll get to keep her."

Summer panted, eyes watery with tears in her delivery. She only gazed upon her a moment before the pains had her pushing again. She squeezed so hard over Sky's hand and screamed.

"What about this one?" The overhead Umbra asked anxiously. "How is she? Is she equipped?"

Sky stared at the tall, red-covered Umbra hatefully, but Summer and her babies drew her attention foremost. Summer lay panting in complete exhaustion and still managed to croak in asking. "Is she…?"

"Penis," the physician remarked, sending Sky's heart diving.

"No."

"Excellent," the Umbra woman said cruelly. "Take her away."

"But— " the physician started, "We usually give the mother time with— "

"I said take her away!"

"My baby," Summer panted, reaching for her second child who the physician started to walk away with the baby to the Umbra's order. "She's taking my baby! Sky!"

"What are you doing?" Sky snapped. "Let us hold her!"

"And grab the other one, Techne. Ragnarok is strong in her; I can sense it."

"What?" Sky snapped, holding in the child close to her chest in startled astonishment. "She doesn't have a penis! You can't use her!"

"Take her for the breeding." The Umbra said, widening Sky's eyes in realization.

"Sky," Summer cried weakly and whispered. "Run."

There was no match. Before Sky could even take a step, she was lifted off her feet, baby removed from her arms and gone with the third Umbra before Sky could fully blink. Summer was crying and Sky's heart, near stopping. "Where did you take them?!" Sky demanded, charging to the short-haired black-covered one and swung at her. She was pinned on the floor in a second with the tall Umbra looming over her, easily trapping.

"This one's feisty," she said in amusement, smile playing over her lips. She reached down and took Sky's painful erection in her hand. Sky choked.

"Please," Summer sobbed, weak on the operating table. She tried to move and get up. "Please, leave her alone."

"Summer, stay down!" Sky ordered, as she'd have no chance of supporting herself. And indeed, when Summer didn't listen, she collapsed to the ground with a cry as soon as she tried to put any weight on her legs.

"Please!" Summer begged. Sky hated seeing it; she hated the Umbra and Ragnarok more than anything, but worse above everything for how helpless she was, unable to even move under the Umbra, to get to her mate.

"SUMMER!" Sky screamed and tried to reach for her.

"I like this one," The Umbra claimed, stroking a hand through her long, black hair, naturally streaked a cool, deep blue.

"Then keep her," the first red-colored one shrugged.

"NO!" Summer screamed, sobbing. Sky reached for her fingers.

"Summer— "

"I'll get a Zyk to carry her back to Paddra." The red one said. Their fingers barely scraped.

"I love you," Sky told her while she still could.

"I love you," Summer panted in a rush, "I love you!" Sky was lifted away. "Sky!" Summer cried, and Sky could feel her own tears streaming.

"I'll come back for you." Sky cried after her as the Umbra lifted her easily and started to carry her away. "I'LL COME BACK FOR YOU, SUMMER!" The door shut, and Sky was taken away.


End file.
